


Smile Like You Mean It

by CarnalCoast



Series: Karmagisa Family AU [3]
Category: Assassination Classroom
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe, Domestic Fluff, Family, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Sex Talk, Therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-01
Updated: 2016-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-18 13:39:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 26,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4707968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarnalCoast/pseuds/CarnalCoast
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The chronicles of Karma and Nagisa desperately trying to raise their child in the best way they can. (Sequel to My Better Half)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a sequel to my other fic called My Better Half so if you haven't read that, go read it or you won't understand everything! I also made a little intermission piece that takes place between MBH and this fic, called Transcendental, which I also recommend you read before this (If you don't want to read the explicit parts of it, don't worry, all the story-centered stuff/non-explicit scenes happen before the explicit scene, which comes at the end, so you can just stop reading when the explicit scene starts and you won't miss anything)

Nagisa drifted to consciousness as he regularly did these days—wrapped up in cool, pillowy sheets and entangled in his lover, warm skin against warm skin. More often than not he would also be cradling his tiny fireball of a son closely in his arms, but this time he wasn’t. He registered that fact, but didn’t have enough energy to act on it just yet, merely humming sleepily and turning further into Karma’s hold.

After several more minutes of uninhibited resting, Nagisa accepted that his mind wouldn’t allow him to fall back asleep, and he carefully extracted himself from Karma’s arms to sit up. Rubbing his eyes, he looked around the room; Naoki was nowhere to be seen. He sighed at the seed of worry quickly forming in his gut. It’d been a while since his boy’s traumatic near-death experience, but the effects had lingered. It had left Karma and Nagisa feeling a mixture of worry, resentment, pride, determination, sorrow—the emotions persisted daily, and Nagisa didn’t know how much longer he could take. At least he was brought some relief at recent Naoki’s social and emotional progress.

His temporarily lost child at the forefront of his mind, Nagisa quietly left the bed and hurried to the living room, clad in sweatpants and a tank top. Knowing Naoki was very likely uninjured and safe in the house, he wasn’t _overwrought,_ but he couldn’t fight the inkling of concern that showed up whenever he didn’t know his boy’s whereabouts.

To his relief, he found Naoki curled up on the sofa and reading a book; it warmed his heart with pride to see his son reading at such a high level. It was a great accomplishment in his eyes, considering the book was likely meant to be read by kids aged eight or nine, and Naoki wasn’t yet six.

Taking a glance at the clock before approaching his child, Nagisa put on a tired smile. “Hey, sweetie, what are you doing out of bed so early? It’s not even eight yet, and we don’t have to go anywhere today.”

Naoki turned his deep brown eyes in Nagisa’s direction as the doting father sat on the sofa, putting an arm around his son to pull him closer.

“I just woke up early. Laying with you and Daddy is fun, but I got bored.”

Nagisa’s smile grew softer as he imagined Naoki squirming his way out from between the couple and edging from the bed, trying to make as little noise as possible. The boy still had his pajamas on—cerulean blue with little duckies on them—so Nagisa figured he simply went to his room for a book and spent the rest of his time reading here.

“Alright. You can wake me up next time if you need something, though.”

A small pout forming, Naoki retorted, “But you looked happy asleep.”

“I’m even happier when I’m spending time with you, so don’t worry about things like that.” Nagisa kissed the top of his son’s head, patting the unruly tangles of hair—they’d scheduled a haircut for him tomorrow, he recalled with a spark of relief. He was glad that Naoki cared so much about his happiness, but he didn’t want the five-year-old to be walking around the apartment by himself that often.

The pout disappeared, though Naoki didn’t speak and simply leaned himself further against his father. Nagisa allowed him to return to his book for a while longer, but he soon felt his stomach tensing in hunger. He poked Naoki’s shoulder, slightly remorseful to pull his son from his reading. The sight of the child’s brows furrowing in concentration coupled with his still puffy cheeks and button nose was too adorable.

“You hungry? Since I’m up, I might as well make breakfast.”

Naoki’s faintly annoyed expression quickly turned to excitement, and he shut the book regardless of what had once held him so enraptured. “Yeah! I’ll help, I’ll help!” He rose as Nagisa did, jumping to the floor and pitter-pattering to the kitchen area happily.

“What happened to reading your book?” Nagisa asked rather exasperatedly as he followed. He was glad that his boy had taken such an interest in cooking lately, but after a kitchen accident involving some airborne drops of oil, he wasn’t so keen on allowing Naoki near the burners when he’d be using them.

“I’ll finish later. I wanna help! Can I wake up daddy?” Naoki pestered, standing in the middle of the kitchen with clueless eyes. Nagisa sighed, running a hand through his blue locks.

“No waking up your father; it’s his first day off in a long while, so let him rest. And I don’t know if you should be in the kitchen when I’m cooking, sweetheart... Wouldn’t you much rather watch T.V. or something?”

With every word, Nagisa watched Naoki’s face fall and fall, until his dark eyes were wide and his lip was quivering obstinately. When he saw it, he already knew his efforts were futile.

“No! I wanna help! Pretty pretty _pretty pretty please,_ Papa! Please let me help!” He ran up to clutch at Nagisa’s sweats as he pleaded, lightly knocking and tugging hopefully at his legs. Nagisa bit the inside of his cheek, bending down to still the boy by holding his shoulders.

“Alright, alright, quiet down—don’t be loud, or you’ll wake your father up. Just... if you go and get your apron from the cupboard and make sure you wear it at all times, you can help a little.”

Squealing eagerly, Naoki immediately ran to the cupboard and opened it, yanking down the white child-sized apron and throwing it over his head. After the accident—Naoki had sported a small burn on his left hand to show for it—Karma insisted on buying their son his own apron. They’d perused online for one, and Naoki had said that he liked the white one with the bright red flowers on its bottom half, so that was what he got. Nagisa, as he watched him struggle to tie it around himself, thought the crimson pattern on its ruffled bottom made Naoki look all the more severe with his pale complexion and dark eyes and hair, but still beautiful in his own way.

“Hey, let me help you get that on,” Nagisa muttered as he knelt down, gently turning Naoki around. Naoki huffed but obliged; he’d already learned to tie a bow, but his fingers moved too clumsily half the time to do it properly.

Once the garment would no longer be falling off of him, Naoki brushed at the edges where its ruffles puffed up, mumbling, “Why did daddy get this for me if it’s a girl’s apron...?”

Frowning, Nagisa turned him around. “Because it’s the one you liked, isn’t it? It’s not a girl’s apron, Naoki.”

“But lookit it! I didn’t know it would look this _girly_ on me. Everyone at school would make fun of me if they saw me...” Naoki seemed devastated at his choice in aprons and looked to his feet sadly, still fidgeting with the cloth’s edge. Nagisa also felt rather disheartened; he knew that going to school was good for his son, but the last thing he wanted was Naoki picking up any unhealthy ways of thinking from his young peers.

“It’s not a girl’s apron, Naoki, because _you’re_ wearing it. If you’re a boy, then the clothes you wear are boy’s clothes. It’s that simple, okay?” Naoki glanced up hopefully at the comforting words, so Nagisa continued. “Do you still want the apron? I think it looks wonderful on you, but your father and I can return it and pick out a different one for you if you don’t want to wear it.”

“N-No!” Naoki shot out quickly, wrapping his arms around himself as if shielding the apron from harm. “I-I do like this one the best!”

“That’s perfectly okay, sweetie.” Nagisa smiled at him, brushing his bangs back to press a small kiss to his forehead. “Don’t be afraid to speak your mind and do what makes you happiest and most comfortable.” That was all he wanted for his son, truthfully, and damn everything if he couldn’t make it happen.

“Uh... Uh-huh,” Naoki mumbled, giving Nagisa a short, tight hug to express his gratitude before leaning back. The excitement had returned to his eyes so quickly it made Nagisa blink. “I...! I wanna help now!”

Chuckling at the declaration, Nagisa stood up and reached for his own apron, which was a plain black. “Alright, but we’re just making pancakes. What do you want in yours?”

“Choco-chips!” _Of course,_ Nagisa thought. “—But I wanna help make yours and daddy’s too!”

“Don’t worry, you can mix the batter that will go in all three of ours.” Nagisa knew it was sort of a cop out, but judging from Naoki’s eager, toothy smile, the young boy didn’t seem to mind.

They got to work, Naoki showing his musical side and humming songs to himself all the while. Nagisa took care for them not to be too loud, but hummed along to the ones he knew, and even lifted Naoki up to allow him an attempt at flipping a pancake. The boy succeeded in a short toss rather than a full flip, but Nagisa complimented him on it anyway. And when he asked if he was allowed to put syrup on his, Nagisa indulged him, though he didn’t understand how Naoki could stomach the tastes of chocolate and maple fused together.

“Alright, what do you want to drink?” Nagisa questioned as he transferred their last fluffy cake onto the plate which was already stacked with them. There hadn’t been a peep out of their bedroom during the making of the breakfast, so Nagisa figured that Karma hadn’t been roused from his slumber by their noisiness.

As he focused on taking off his apron and throwing it in the laundry bin, Naoki chirped, “I want milk! ...Please!”

Nodding, Nagisa set the plate of pancakes on the dining table before returning to a cupboard, pulling out a few more plates. He wasn’t surprised; lately, milk was Naoki’s drink of choice. Perhaps his body was preparing for a growth spurt and needed more calcium. “Okay. Can you set the table while I get our drinks?”

Naoki pouted at the task being thrust upon him but nodded and took the plates, eager to start eating. When Nagisa returned to the table with a small glass of milk and a cup of coffee in hand, he found the boy already in his seat and picking out his own chocolatey pancake from the bunch. He ruffled his son’s hair before sitting down and taking his own—blueberry.

“Do you like it?” Nagisa asked, though seeing as Naoki had already haphazardly torn out a few syrupy forkfuls to stuff in his mouth, he figured he was enjoying his breakfast.

“Yeah! It’s good! Thank you!”

“You helped make it too,” Nagisa chuckled, beginning to eat but taking a sideways glance at the hallway. If Karma didn’t wake up soon, he’d have to force him to get up before the food got cold.

“I want a pet!”

It seemed he’d have to entertain his child’s ramblings for a while longer, though. Holding back a sigh, Nagisa turned to Naoki’s insistent, large eyes.

“Naoki...”

Realizing his mistake, the five-year-old quickly added, “Please!”

Not wanting to displease Naoki, Nagisa pretended to mull it over. “...Well, what animal were you thinking of wanting?”

“Um, a kitty!” Naoki rocked his legs back and forth, excited that his father seemed to at least be _considering_ it. Whenever he mentioned wanting a pet for the household to his other dad, _he_ would always immediately turn the idea down and change the subject.

Unfortunately, Nagisa quickly sent his son an apologetic glance. “I’m sorry, honey, but we just don’t have the time to take care of a kitten right now. Who would look after it?”

“Me! I would!” Raising his voice ever so slightly, Naoki looked at him imploringly. “I can do it!”

“You have school—elementary school isn’t far off now. And you wouldn’t be able to take care of it all by yourself, dear. It’s a lot of hard work, looking after a kitten. Maybe when you’re older, okay?” Nagisa spoke gently, though with a tone that clearly closed this line of conversation.

Naoki huffed and sunk lower in his seat. Seeing this, Nagisa reached over to pat him on the shoulder

“Hey, you can have plenty of fun without a pet, for now. You still want your friend Tetsuya-chan to come over sometime, don’t you?”

At the mention of his friend’s name, Naoki’s cheeks turned a light pink and he scrambled for something to say. Luckily for him, Karma came out from the hallway at that moment, still in sweats and with a bedhead.

“Breakfast smells good...” He offered as a greeting, fighting back a yawn. Nagisa smiled and rose to greet him with a kiss while Naoki stayed seated, relief and confusion filling him. His heart had sped up in nervousness when his father had brought up Tetsuya, and he didn’t know what to do about it.

The recent sleepover he’d had with his friend—it’d been his first—had gone well, and he now understood what his father meant when he’d explained what a ‘crush’ was. When he talked to Tetsuya, his stomach became fluttery and light for no apparent reason, and he couldn’t stop himself from stuttering more than usual. It unnerved him, but was also a warm feeling.

During his stay at Tetsuya’s house, he’d had plenty of moments to feel that feeling. Being introduced to his friend’s younger brother, who was still an adorable baby, made him feel even closer to the other boy somehow. He’d gotten to play Tetsuya’s video games, eat Tetsuya’s food, sleep in Tetsuya’s room—all of it elated him more than he’d thought it would. He’d missed his parents dearly, that was sure, especially when they’d called to check on him. For a moment Naoki had even been tempted to plead his father to pick him up early and take him home—but, Tetsuya would be sad if he left early, wouldn’t he? For his friend’s—crush’s?—sake, he decided to fight through it.

In the end, he was glad with the decision he made. During the night he’d been extremely scared, even _with_ the blanket fort he and Tetsuya had made, but Tetsuya had assured him that he would be alright. The other boy had even held his hand until he fell asleep. Just thinking about it now brought a new, brighter blush to Naoki’s cheeks.

“You okay, bud?” Karma’s question yanked him from his thoughts, and he nervously nodded.

“Mornin’, daddy...”

“Morning.” Karma reached over to ruffle Naoki’s hair before taking his place at the table. “Did you help make all this, Naoki?”

“Um, yeah! I helped a lot!” He grinned, happy that the subject was changed for now. He’d probably have to do something about his strange feelings for his friend at some point, but for now he would be fine leaving things as they were. At least, he hoped.

“I can already tell you did a great job,” Karma praised, slicing a bite of his pancake. Naoki’s smile brightened, his uneasiness fading.

Nagisa glanced at his son knowingly—Naoki knew _nothing_ could escape his father’s skillful gaze and held back a flinch—but then looked to Karma. “I’ll take him to his haircut today, so you just stay here and relax. You deserve a day off.”

“Oh _baby,_ you’re too good to me,” Karma retorted teasingly with a glint in his eye that Naoki didn’t know what to make of. From Nagisa’s flustered expression, though, it was something the child probably wouldn’t _want_ to know.

“Alright, alright, be quiet...” Nagisa trailed off, staring at his plate with a red face. Karma chuckled to himself, but Naoki just felt confused. His confounded staring was soon interrupted by a finger reaching out to poke his nose. The boy grunted in surprise, looking up to listen to Karma.

“Are you excited to go on that trip with Sugino and his family? Excited to see Hiyoko?”

At the mention of Tomohito and Yukiko’s only daughter, Naoki relaxed into his seat more. The girl was turning four next month, and while they wouldn’t be able to celebrate with the family, they’d planned to go on a cruise with them the week after school ended. Naoki’s nerves tingled just thinking about it; the last week of school was upon him... Until he’d have to go to elementary school, after the short break they’d be allowed. It filled him with trepidation.

Seeing Hiyoko, though, wouldn’t be too bad. He considered her to be a friend, anyway, and she was fun to play with. Being with his aunt and uncle wouldn’t be too bad either, he thought. “Yeah, I’m excited.”

“You don’t _sound_ too excited...” Karma chuckled, smirking at his boy, who glared and puffed up like a disturbed porcupine.

“I am _too!_ I’m just sleepy right now...” He stabbed his fork into his pancake and rested his cheek on his hand, feeling sullen. He didn’t like to think about school that much, and now he couldn’t _stop_ thinking about it...

“Did you not get enough sleep, sweetie?” Nagisa lightly questioned. He’d leave it up to Naoki to talk to him when he needed to, but that didn’t stop him from worrying.

“I’m fine...” Naoki mumbled, and Nagisa decided to leave it for now.

When thirty minutes passed and the young boy suddenly joined Nagisa on the sofa where he was watching the news, Nagisa took his chance. “Wanna take a nap, baby?”

Naoki just nodded and curled up under his father’s arm, slumbering within minutes.

 

 

Another day passed before it was Monday morning, with Nagisa driving Naoki to kindergarten as usual. He was delighted to see that his son was in better spirits than usual—likely because it was the last week of school, he thought—and listened to him ramble throughout the drive.

However, the true reason Naoki was feeling peppier than usual was because of his haircut. It hadn’t been that much—just an inch off, so it now came down to the middle of his ears—but he was surprised at how much better he felt without his bangs annoyingly creeping into his vision every two minutes. It’d been the first time he’d gone to a hairdresser, and Nagisa had stayed with him the entire time, which was a comfort.

As they arrived at the daycare and Nagisa pulled Naoki from the car, though, the boy’s cheeriness diminished greatly. There was only one more week of school, yes, but that was _another whole week._ Right after the following break he’d have to go to an even larger school, too—one where he probably wouldn’t know his classmates and be surrounded by many more kids, some way older than him. Thinking about it unnerved him immensely, and he stopped abruptly near the entrance to the small building, looking to his feet.

Nagisa knew the process like the back of his hand by now—though he’d hoped Naoki would be more willing to go to school since he’d seemed in a better mood—and pulled his son to the side, crouching down to face him. Gently lifting the boy’s head, he saw the tears welling up and felt sadness filling him as well, as it did whenever he saw his kid hurting.

Sometime during the school year, Naoki’s customary fits lessened in volume and intensity, probably because he suddenly noticed that other adults and children would stare at him whenever he’d yell and cry. His classmates even asked him about it sometimes, and embarrassment would immediately fill him to the brim. So instead, he’d taken to a softer, more unnoticeable crying, and was more mindful of when he was causing a disruption. Nagisa was glad about this, at least—it showed great improvement.

Just because his son was becoming more capable didn’t mean he could leave him there in this state, though. Caressing a puffy cheek gently in hopes of comforting him, he whispered, “It’ll be alright, sweetie. Only five more days, and then you won’t have to come back. Think about that—think about the good things that will happen once you make it through the week, okay?”

Naoki nodded, eyes closed and face red, but didn’t say anything. If he opened his mouth, he’d probably sob. Pulling him closer to his chest, Nagisa sighed and looked around the area.

“Hm, I see your friend over there. Will you be able to stay strong if he’s with you and takes you inside?”

Again Naoki nodded into his father’s shirt, tilting his head just enough to peek out and spy Tetsuya looking their way. He didn’t know how long his friend had been watching, and he felt embarrassment fill him again, but he knew he _couldn’t help it._

_I wish I wasn’t like this._

It was the first time he’d had a thought like that in his life, and it almost made him even more distraught. But now wasn’t the time to become even sadder.

Tetsuya seemed to have approached them on his own, and Naoki faintly heard Nagisa talking to Tetsuya’s mother. Then, the assassin pulled away slightly to face the teary boy.

“Will you be alright with your friend? You need to tell me, sweetie.”

Eyes squeezing, he nodded and hiccupped, “Yeah.”

Nagisa smiled, reaching out to wipe away any dampness and give Naoki a few kisses on his cheeks. “I love you. I’ll be here to pick you up later.”

“L-Love you too. Bye...”

There was a final hug which Naoki savored before he was pulled away by Tetsuya’s hand clasping his own, which gave him goosebumps suddenly. When the other boy turned to look at him, though, he tried to calm himself.

“Are you okay?”

He still felt embarrassed, but his friend did seem genuinely concerned— _it’s amazing how he hasn’t gotten tired of me, this, by now_ —so he answered, “Y-Yeah. I’ll be okay.”

In their classroom they went to their seats, and Naoki spent the lessons as he normally did—attentive as he could muster, and making himself obscure and invisible as possible. The successfulness of either endeavor altered daily. This time, though, he thought he did a good job, even if he still clammed up when he had to ask Sierra Nishimura if he could use her glue.

Lunchtime, though, was when things turned sourer. Since spring was upon them and the weather was more pleasant, Naoki had been accompanying Tetsuya outside during their break more often. His friend seemed to prefer playing outdoors, after all, and since realizing his strange, fluttery feelings, Naoki had become much more eager to please Tetsuya. Naoki had also been introduced to many of Tetsuya’s friends this way, and though he wouldn’t call _himself_ friends with the other kids just yet, they didn’t seem to dislike him. They were nice to be around. Sometimes.

Naoki wasn’t a fan of intense and physically active games or sports though, so he didn’t partake in any of that. Today, Tetsuya came to him promising they’d just sit outside and eat around the ring of trees near the edge of the playground, so Naoki agreed easily. Sitting next to Tetsuya in any situation sounded _great_ to him, after all. Though also having to sit near Tetsuya’s other friends, which he was doing now, put a damper on things.

“Hey, Akabane!”

A shout startled him, and he looked up from his bento—Tetsuya and a few of his friends looked up as well. The yell hadn’t come from any of them, but rather from a girl walking towards them with a few other kids following her. Naoki recognized her—Kita-san. She was pretty outspoken from what he’d heard from her in class, so he didn’t have a very favorable impression of her.

Seeing that her target was looking her way, she opened her mouth again, coming to a stop a few feet in front of the sitting boy. “Is it true that you have _two_ dads? And no mom?”

The question, and her brash tone, caught him off guard a little. It wasn’t completely unexpected, though. This same scenario had happened every so often—his classmates, asking him about how he had two dads. He would always respond affirmatively, of course, and none of them ever seemed too perturbed by it. Their questions had begun to confuse Naoki, though. Why were they so curious? Was it not normal to have two dads?

Kita’s sudden interrogation brought these questions to the front of his mind again. No one else was responding to her, and he didn’t see anything inherently threatening in the familiar question, so he answered as he always did. “...Yeah, that’s true.”

The girl winced as if revolted, but still held a confident glint in her eyes. A couple of the kids standing behind her snickered, and Naoki’s stomach sank in dismay and confusion. Instinctively, his hand rose to his mouth as if he were vainly attempting to hide behind it.

“That’s just _weird. My_ mom says that every child should have a mom _and_ a dad! I feel sorry for you. Two _boys_ raising a kid together is just sorta... _creepy..._ ” She huffed as if holding back a laugh, but the domineering sneer on her face didn’t fade. Someone else to the right—one of Tetsuya’s friends—snorted as well, which made blood rush to Naoki’s face, but the kid sitting next to them quickly elbowed them in the ribs.

“It’s... It’s not weird...” he mumbled; he couldn’t raise his voice any higher, he just couldn’t. He was sure his face was bright red, and tears were appearing—but he couldn’t stop them.

Everyone was watching.

Somehow, she heard him and glared. “It is _too!_ Like, who _else_ had two _dads?_ I’ve never seen _that_ before. Do you even have a real mom?—How could you even be _born,_ then? To make a baby, you need a man _and a woman,_ you know. Are you some freak of nature?”

There were still some kids laughing quietly, but Naoki honestly couldn’t tell where the laughter came from at this point. He couldn’t speak or look up from his lap. His head wouldn’t move, too busy weighed down by his anxiety and racing thoughts.

_Why is she saying these things to me? Is it true? How could I have been born... if I don’t have a mom?_

“ _Stop!_ Just _go away,_ Kita-chan; you’re being really rude. And hurting Naoki-kun’s feelings. Just stop bothering us.”

Tetsuya’s voice startled him, and he looked to his friend—glaring, angry, determined. _Tetsuya’s... protecting me._

Immediately Kita quit speaking, her glare now directed at Tetsuya but seeming much more childish. She huffed, but Naoki knew that she would stop. Tetsuya was well-liked throughout the class, so it was no wonder she wouldn’t want to upset him.

“Fine. I’m just _saying,_ but whatever...” She turned and trudged off, the other kids behind her looking nonplussed but following.

The silence that permeated throughout Tetsuya’s group was suffocating to Naoki. Eventually, though, Tetsuya turned to him, and he realized that his tears were overflowing.

“Naoki-kun, are you alright? Don’t listen to whatever she was saying—she’s just being a bully. I don’t know _why,_ but she was... Please don’t cry.” Tetsuya’s voice became more frantic towards the end, and he put a hand on his friend’s shoulder, trying to figure out a way to quell his tears. Naoki wiped at his face, though, sniffing and nodding.

“O-Okay... Ok-ay...” His voice broke into a sob, and he cursed himself for it, but he _couldn’t help it._ What just happened was scary. He didn’t know what to do about it.

“A-Ah, it’s okay, Naoki-kun!” Tetsuya assured anxiously, pulling him into a hug. For whatever reason, Tetsuya seemed to _hate_ seeing any of his friends sad or in pain, and Naoki was currently thankful for that trait. The arms wrapped around him made him feel warm and safe. He continued to sniffle, his fears subduing.

After he calmed down, Tetsuya moved away and gave him a final once-over. Another voice suddenly piped up nearby, though, and Naoki looked to it.

“Yeah, Kita was just being a dummy. I’ve seen lotsa kids with two dads, or two moms, on T.V. and stuff. You’re not the _only one,_ Akabane-kun. Kita just wanted someone to bully—she’s _always_ like that. I’ll get her later for you if you want.”

The casual tone soothed Naoki as well—it was Misao Hanasaki, the girl sitting closest to him and Tetsuya. She had dark skin and hair, and band-aids all over her arms and legs. From what Naoki had already seen of her, she seemed very competitive and hardheaded, which had scared him somewhat, but now he decided that he liked her.

“Th—... Thank you, Hanasaki-san,” he mumbled thickly. Misao simply nodded, her eyes saying that she _would_ really go after Kita if she had to. Tetsuya turned to her as well, eyes narrowed.

“No fighting, though. Please? If we ignore her then she won’t do it again, right? She’s probably just had a bad day and had to take it out on someone.”

Misao rolled her eyes but looked away resolutely; from their time being friends, she’d already gotten used to Tetsuya’s pacifist nature.

Around them, a few others muttered the same about how Kita was just being idiotic, and Naoki felt his nerves quiet down immensely. It was like a pillar of support, strong enough to get him back on his own two feet steadily.

“Th-Thanks,” he muttered a second time, and Tetsuya patted him on the back again. They stayed quiet for minutes longer, returning to their lunches and putting the event behind them, but Naoki couldn’t help speaking up again. His thoughts were racing too fast for him to stay silent.

“T-Tetsuya-kun...” he started, and when his friend gave a hum to indicate he was listening, Naoki continued, “Um, do _you_ think my parents are... weird?” Luckily, everyone else had returned to their conversations already, so no one would be likely to listen in. Naoki already felt self-conscious enough as it was.

“No,” Tetsuya instantly replied, pausing from his intake of food. “I mean, _I_ think they’re cool. I like blue hair—I asked my mom if I could have some, though, and she just yelled at me.”

Naoki giggled at his friend’s attempt to lighten the mood, but it was only a few seconds of bliss before his eyes dulled with worry again. “I-I mean, I’ve never _seen_ anyone else w-with two dads... Is it strange for that to happen?”

“I don’t really know the answer, but...” Tetsuya met his eyes. “Everyone’s different anyway, right? _I_ don’t have a dad—well, I do, but he doesn’t raise us or anything. And I don’t think _my_ family is strange. If mine isn’t, then why would yours be just because you have two dads? They seem like any other dads to me.”

Tetsuya still sounded nonchalant, but his words struck a chord in Naoki that caused him to feel a powerful relief. Tetsuya was right—just because he was different than everyone else didn’t mean that his family was wrong.

“If you’re that worried, though...” Tetsuya began to speak again, and Naoki looked back to him, “...you could ask your parents, probably. They seem smart.”

Naoki blinked, the idea sounding comforting and scary at the same time. “You... You’re right. Thanks, Tetsuya-kun.”

“Anytime.”

 

 

Karma stared at the screen, mouth pensively resting on his hand. It was a Friday— _the_ Friday—and he and Nagisa had earlier met Ishiyo-sensei as they were picking Naoki up from his well-anticipated last day of kindergarten. The genial teacher had given Naoki a warm goodbye hug and mentioned to the couple that she would be sending out e-mails regarding the children’s ‘final evaluations,’ as was her tradition. Basically, the guardians of her students would be receiving her report of their growth throughout the year and any recommendations she felt necessary to make. Karma hadn’t thought much of it, but reading through the e-mail now, he couldn’t help the strong emotions running through his veins.

**Student exemplifies extremely high potential in the areas of Reading, Writing, Music, Artistry, and English.**

**Student exemplifies moderately high potential in the areas of Math, History/Geography, and Science.**

**Student exemplifies moderate potential in the area of Speaking Skills.**

**Student exemplifies lesser potential in the areas of Physical Education and Participation/Effort.**

**Naoki is very smart; I can see that already! He will have no problem in all his academics, I’m certain. But his social skills could use some more honing—we have a very friendly class, but he is reluctant to join in any group activities and more often than not shuns other kids away when they attempt to talk with him. He also displays a very defeatist attitude when participating in any physical activities, and is reluctant to even run for an extended period of time.**

**I would suggest putting him in complementary music or art lessons to promote the strong points he already possesses—those are the activities he will enjoy the most, after all. I would also suggest him becoming part of a sports team to build his weaker points. Hopefully this would help him become more social as well. Whatever your decision may be, I strongly recommend at least one extracurricular that he can focus on outside of his academics.**

Sure, for the rest of the e-mail she went on about how precious Naoki was and that it was a pleasure to have him in the class, but Karma knew that was mandatory so he could care less.

His heart radiated with pride at how many subjects his son was deemed to have ‘extremely high potential’ in—that was true. There was no doubt in his mind that he was going to reward Naoki later on and make sure the boy knew that he’d done a great job surviving his first year. However, other parts of the report induced an irritated feeling in his gut.

_Defeatist attitude?_

Karma wasn’t sure what he was supposed to make of that, but he knew _he_ certainly hadn’t been that way. He’d been hoping that Naoki would inherit his natural competitiveness and fortitude, only to realize... Of course, Naoki was adopted. It was strange how easily he could forget such an obvious detail.

_Inept social skills?_

Just another trait completely opposite from his own personality, so he wasn’t quite sure how to handle it. He and Nagisa thought that Naoki had been vastly improving his social skills as the year went on, but apparently they’d been wrong... Maybe Naoki’s attitude when he was at school was simply different from his attitude at home.

_Extra-curricular lessons?_

Honestly, these recommendations from Ishiyo-san left a bitter taste on his tongue, because they were centered on the same topic that he and Nagisa had started more than one fight about. Since getting married, the couple hadn’t had too many arguments—they would butt heads often, but either one would usually be quick to yield, unless their ‘fighting’ was for a different... impure reason. These days, any of their _real_ arguments seemed to be about Naoki—how to best raise him, how to respond to a certain situation, whether or not to put him in any supplementary lessons, academies, sports teams... Both agreed that it should happen sooner or later, but Nagisa wanted to enroll him in piano lessons _now_ while Karma wanted to put him in a sports team _later._ Needless to say, they hadn’t come to any conclusion yet.

Sighing, Karma raised from his seat just as the front door opened, revealing Nagisa. Complimentary to the weather outside, he was dressed in light clothing, and he stretched as he spoke.

“Could you replace me down at the park? I needed a break of sitting in the sun, but I’m sure Ayako-san still wants some company. Watching Naoki and Tetsuya-chan out there is pretty entertaining too.”

As a treat for the last day of school, Nagisa had proposed to Ayako that Tetsuya come to play with Naoki at the park near their apartment complex. She gratefully agreed and insisted on accompanying them, even bringing along her other son to play with them as well. He was only in his crawling stages, but seemed to enjoy the sandbox.

Karma approached his husband and nodded. “Sure I will. Just got Ishiyo-sensei’s e-mail—I left it open for you. You should... read it.” He leaned in for a quick kiss as he passed, and Nagisa tilted his head to accept it but paused him.

“...Is it good? You seem to have mixed feelings.” Nagisa could clearly tell this much from staring into the muddled gold of Karma’s eyes, and Karma raised an eyebrow. There was little to nothing he could hide from Nagisa.

“I’m pleased, but also worried. Proud of him, though. He’s excellent, Nagisa.” Not wanting to get into their past conflicts right now, Karma left it at that and put on his shoes before opening the door. “I’ll stay out until playtime is over, so you can just relax in here.” The _“we’ll talk then”_ was unspoken, but heard.

Outside, he breathed a breath of the exalting, fresh air and easily made the one-minute walk to the park. There sat Ayako-san sitting on a bench alone, her blonde hair tied into a messy bun and a purse, looking ready to burst, resting next to her. She was holding her younger son, all of her attention focused on him. The other benches were full with parents, the playground itself full with kids—more than Karma had ever seen here. It was more than he’d think Naoki would be comfortable with, but sure enough, he spied his son near the merry-go-round with a small smile on his face. Being with his friend probably brought out his outgoing side.

As he made his way to Ayako’s bench, Naoki spotted him and waved animatedly, his smile stretching wide to showcase his baby teeth. Karma smiled amusedly and waved back, sitting down next to Ayako who greeted him with her own smile.

“Hello, Akabane-san. Did Nagisa-san kick you out of the apartment that quickly?”

He laughed good-naturedly at her quip, though he was hesitant about how to speak to her. Nagisa was friends with her by now, but he himself could count the conversations he’d had with her on his fingers. Still, this was the mother of his son’s only friend, so he needed to be nice.

“We just wanted to make sure you wouldn’t need any help with Naoki out here. He’s a little troublemaker,” he joked back, sending another tiny wave Naoki’s direction when the boy smiled at him again.

She laughed. “Oh, I doubt that.” There was a pause, and she looked back at her youngest son before she continued. “He was very polite when he was over, I told Nagisa-san. He knows his manners well—I’m sure you’re proud of him.”

Karma smiled at that, though he hoped it didn’t look like a smirk. Some of his smiles tended to appear that way. “Yes, we are... I’m sure you’re proud of your son, too. You know, he’s really Naoki’s only friend. If your son wasn’t there, Nagisa and I would be worried sick about him... Thank you.”

“Oh...” She glanced up and appeared surprised for a moment, but smiled. “I’m glad Tetsuya could be of help, then. The thing I try to teach him the most is to be kind to everyone—to treat others well and not be judgmental. I’m glad he’s taking my words to heart, then!”

It was a noble lesson, Karma understood. He nodded to appease her, but suddenly found himself deep in thought, remembering a conversation he’d had with Ayako a long while ago—when he’d first learned of Naoki’s apparent infatuation with Tetsuya. Much of what she’d said back then resonated with what she was saying now. He wet his lips—would it be right to talk about something like that...?

“And honestly, I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but your son’s shyness is just _adorable!_ I swear, every time I see him and Tetsuya, he’s always blushing and stuttering, even when I try and talk to him—I never want to make him feel uncomfortable, that’s not it, I just think it’s absolutely precious! I’m sure he’ll grow out of it soon, but for the meantime you should cherish it!”

Her gushing brought him back to reality, and he noticed it—a moment exactly like what she just described, happening near the merry-go-round. Naoki’s fingers wrapped around the hem of Tetsuya’s shirt as if he were a duckling, and his face carried a tint of pink to it.

Karma held back a sigh; he’d _have_ to mention it now.

“Actually, Ayako-san... Nagisa and I are pretty sure that Naoki has some sort of crush on your son. That’s probably why he’s acting that way... He talked about it to me once before—he may just be confused, though, so no need for you to worry...” he hastily ended, watching as Ayako’s face turned from turned from surprised to contemplative.

She seemed lost in thought for a few seconds, before she let out a sharp gasp. “Ah! So _that’s_ why he was acting that way! Oh, I had no idea!” A smile quickly formed, though, which eased Karma’s gut. “Well, no harm in that! It’s cute, actually. Looks like my boy is gonna turn into quite the stud if he’s gaining admirers this early on!”

Karma chuckled, glad that she had a positive reaction, but subtly gaining the impression that she wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box. “Maybe.”

“And don’t worry—I won’t tell Tetsuya. Poor Naoki-chan seems to be having enough trouble as it is.” Her face took on a slightly worried expression as she watched the kids. “Don’t worry, though. Tetsuya wouldn’t just abandon him if he ever expressed his feelings. I didn’t raise my boy to be that way...”

Nodding thankfully, Karma felt relief fill him. Maybe this woman was smarter than he’d initially thought; he didn’t even need to say anything.

“...I hope so, anyway.”

He held back a sigh.

After that, there was an extensive lull in their conversation, as the baby in Ayako’s arms became fussy and she struggled to calm him down. Eventually, once they were at peace again, Karma brought up a new topic to stave off his boredom. Naoki and Tetsuya were now playing on the monkey bars, and he watched them as he spoke.

“So, did you get that e-mail from Ishiyo-sensei yet? I just read ours for Naoki.”

Ayako looked up at him, lids raising. “Yep. Tetsuya seemed to have done well. A little less than proficient in math, but I wasn’t too good at that either—what’re ya gonna do, right? He’s doing great in his soccer team and with his writing, at least. And he seemed pretty happy with how his year went.”

Karma pursed his lips as he listened, though he gave her a nod and smile of congratulation when it was over. Tetsuya was in a soccer team— _of course_ he was. Still, there were plenty of things that Naoki was good at as well—things that he could probably boast about, as a proud father. Would he, though, just to try and boost his own ego?

“So, how did Naoki-chan do? Tetsuya has told me that he’s really smart!”

She was practically throwing the opportunity in his face, so how could he resist—?

Unfortunately, just as he was about to say something idiotic yet simultaneously satisfying, a sharp and _familiar_ wail rang through the open air of the playground. As if on autopilot, Karma shot up and started towards the sound—he’d heard it often enough to know that it was his son.

Naoki lay stomach-down on the ground beneath the monkey bars, face turned away and crying. Karma ran towards him, faintly aware of Ayako standing up behind him. Other parents and kids were surely looking their way, but Karma paid them no mind. Tetsuya kneeled next to his friend, face obviously distressed and hands clenched beside him, unsure of what to do.

“I-I tried to stop him from falling, I swear! B-But he just lost his grip—“

“Okay, yeah, it’s alright, I’ve got it,” Karma mumbled, silencing Tetsuya’s worried rambling. He picked up his son as carefully as possible, turning him up to face him. His upper body appeared completely uninjured, which sent relief through Karma’s body, but there were bloody scrapes on both of his knees. Not too bad, though. It would be okay.

“You’re okay, baby, you just fell,” Karma muttered softly into Naoki’s ear, raising to his feet and carrying the boy close. It alarmed him at how angry and _terrified_ he’d felt at hearing his son’s scream, but now he was beginning to calm down.

Naoki only seemed shocked, clinging desperately to his father’s shirt and probably unsure of what was happening—but that was expected, Karma thought to himself. He’d been scared, which probably reminded him of scary events of the past, which made him even _more_ scared. It would happen. He was safe, though.

“Oh, poor Naoki-chan! Let’s get him cleaned up inside?” Ayako offered, approaching him with her baby in one arm and purse on the other. He nodded before hastily making his way back to the complex, not looking back to see Ayako gently taking Tetsuya by the hand and leading him in the same direction, arms full to the brim.

 

 

Nagisa’s mouth quirked up as he replied to Sugino’s text, idly lounging on the couch. His old friend had been finalizing the details of their upcoming cruise trip, and Nagisa felt himself already relaxing at the thought of it. He’d been thinking too much lately about things that only proved to stress him out, so this would be a welcome change... And a welcoming last moment of reprieve before he’d have to return to his career.

_Damn, I’m thinking about it again._

The sound of the door opening startled him onto his feet, and the sight of Karma’s grim face alerted him further. Quickly, he strode forward and took Naoki from his husband’s arms; Karma acquiesced automatically.

“He just fell. He’s okay,” was all Karma said before hurrying to the cupboard below the sink where they kept first-aid supplies. Nagisa sent a welcoming nod to Ayako and her sons as they entered the house as well, but didn’t pay them any more attention than that, tilting Naoki’s teary face up so he could inspect it.

“Oh, oh, you okay sweetie?” He crooned, and Naoki nodded, though his dark eyes were squinted and his face was red. Nagisa, at ease from the response, softly ruffled his hair and sat him on the counter. The boy stayed still, but clenched the edge of the countertop as his father took hold of his leg, where he saw one of the scrapes.

“Are you okay, Naoki-kun? Sorry...” Tetsuya hesitantly peeped, and Nagisa turned his head around, surprised. Naoki made no effort to say anything, but lowered his eyes and sniffled.

“Oh, I’m sure nothing was your fault, sweetie, and he’ll be just fine. In the meantime, I’m sure your mom could find something good for you to watch on the T.V.?” Nagisa smiled gently, darting his eyes to Ayako, who smiled back from where she already sat on the couch.

A faint blush filled Tetsuya’s face, accompanying his awe-filled eyes—something Karma noted with equal parts of amusement and suspicion—before he hastily nodded and ran to the couch.

“You got this?” Karma questioned casually as he passed on the band-aids and antiseptic, and Nagisa nodded, already in the process of cleaning the scrapes. Seeing this, Karma opted to join Ayako and her sons on the couch, though he listened attentively to the gentle shushes and murmurs Nagisa would whisper periodically to calm Naoki. It warmed the cockles of Karma’s heart in a profound and embarrassing way.

When he was finished and had put the supplies away, Nagisa looked at Naoki, who by now appeared calm, though not accounting for the faded, rosy rims around his eyes.

“Good?”

Naoki nodded, his lip quivering, and it was enough for Nagisa to pull him into a warm hug. The five-year-old returned it thankfully. As Nagisa rubbed his back, he distinctively heard the mumble, “...I’m a wimp, Papa.”

“No, you’re not. You’re the strongest boy I’ve ever known, Naoki,” he immediately whispered back, tightening his hold momentarily. He meant every word, and Naoki seemed to understand that, as he soon nodded.

 

 

The Maeda family left around seven that night, after a dinner that proved to brighten Naoki’s spirits significantly. Currently at 7:25, Nagisa was about to undergo the task of giving Naoki a bath before bed. In the earlier days, Nagisa would have to help Naoki undress, get in, adjust the temperature of the water—now, though, Naoki was older and merely wanted help washing. He had no problem filling up the bath and getting in himself, so Nagisa would simply wait for the boy’s customary yelling before he went to help.

It was while he was waiting for that call that he decided to confront Karma. To his surprise, he was met with no resistance.

“You were right—we probably shouldn’t put him in any sports teams.”

At Nagisa’s confused blinking, Karma couldn’t hold back a smirk; his lover looked irresistibly cute when he seemed so clueless.

“...I thought you were dead set on that. And Ishiyo-san said so as well. Why the change?”

Karma leaned back against the couch cushions with a sigh, stretching his arms out. “I just thought... well, I don’t want him to hate me. I was just so focused on making him into a carbon copy of myself, but I know he wouldn’t like that... Sure, I thought it would be nice to see him as competitive and resilient as we were when we were kids, but... He’s not us. Besides, those were confusing circumstances—ones I don’t wish on him. In the end, I’ve decided that he doesn’t need to try and adopt that kind of cutthroat attitude. It’s not for him.”

For a second, Nagisa looked at him with a glint in his eye that exuded pride and love, though it was quickly covered up with doubt by a raised eyebrow. “...Oh? You decided that _all by yourself,_ did you? And what have I been trying to tell you these past few months?”

“Yeah, yeah, you were right, I was wrong,” Karma mumbled whilst rolling his eyes, though he couldn’t hold back a smirk. Nagisa gave his own triumphant smile and giggled to himself.

Then, a resounding “Papa! I’m ready!”

Sighing, Nagisa stood and crossed his arms. “Better get in there before he yells his throat sore.”

Karma hummed and nodded, silently contemplating to himself about what instrument they would be letting Naoki have private lessons in. Just because the boy wouldn’t be joining any sport team didn’t mean that the parents would be ignoring _all_ of Ishiyo-sensei’s suggestions; Karma was certain Nagisa felt the same way.

In the bathroom, Nagisa knelt to the tub and rolled up his sleeves. “Your scrapes okay in there? The temperature of the water seems rather hot.” In all honesty, he could feel the heat against his face even as it hovered a foot away from the water. Naoki merely smiled up at him, not minding at all.

“Yeah, they’re okay. It stung at first but I did it!”

Nagisa smiled back, a small gesture of praise. “Good. Looks like you didn’t dunk your head, though.”

Naoki’s eyes rolled up as if to observe the dryness of his hair. “...I don’t like to, Papa.”

As he spoke, though, Nagisa had already grabbed the bucket and submerged it into the water so it could quickly fill. “Alright, close your eyes shut tight.”

“Mr...” The boy grumbled, displeased when the bucket was downturned above his head and the hot water poured over him, flattening his hair. “Papa...” he whined, rubbing at his eyes when the stream subsided.

“There’s no soap yet, Naoki, so quit whining,” Nagisa muttered, and Naoki retaliated with a louder whine, making the parent roll his eyes slightly. “Do you want to clean yourself instead? I’ll still do your hair.”

At that rather aggravated suggestion, Naoki’s eyes grew even wider as he stared at his father with a renewed sense of dread. Nagisa hadn’t the faintest clue what the boy could be so upset about this time, until he softly mumbled, “...Are you mad at me?”

“Oh, no I’m not, sweetie. I didn’t mean anything.” Nagisa quickly hushed, leaning over to kiss the side of his face. “Nevermind—do you want bubbles?”

“...Yeah.”

Bath-time proceeded and ended without any major disruptions, and by 8:15 Nagisa was tucking Naoki into their king-sized bed, a book ready in his other arm to entertain himself. Karma was still doing some late night paperwork out in the living room, but Nagisa was feeling rather exhausted already so he opted to stay with Naoki and read as the kid drifted to sleep. Naoki seemed pleased by his choice, looking up at him with a happy smile and curling close.

They’d said their goodnights, and Nagisa could tell that it wouldn’t take long for his son to fall asleep, but he couldn’t help himself. His eyes darted from the page in front of him, honing in on the pool of damp, dark hair near his shoulder.

“Naoki...” When the boy shifted his legs under the covers, Nagisa continued, “How do you feel about music lessons? A piano teacher, maybe?”

At once, Naoki’s face popped up and beamed at him, excited despite his sleepiness. “Piano?! I wanna! That sounds fun—I get to play more? I want to!”

Nagisa smiled back at him, glad that he’d responded favorably. If he hadn’t... well, Nagisa had a feeling they would’ve had to force him into it anyway. He could easily see that Naoki needed more stimuli, more interactions outside of home, more _something_ , and maybe piano lessons was just the thing...

“Yep. Don’t get too anxious now—we’ll talk more about it later. It’s going to happen, though, so I’m glad you’re looking forward to it.”

Naoki squealed happily, clinging onto him and nearly knocking his hands from the book. “Thank you! I love you, Papa!”

“I love you too.” Looking at his son, appearing _so happy_ after so many moments of unhappiness and fear, made him feel at a loss for words—it was surreal. Nagisa desperately held onto reality at that moment, even if his expression seemed calm and serene as ever. “Now, go to sleep. Your father will join us in a while, too. You need your rest for tomorrow, remember?”

Reminded of the cruise they were to embark on tomorrow, Naoki nodded and sunk into the mattress again, pausing for a moment before burrowing under the covers and against his father like a baby badger. His small feet kicked and shuffled against Nagisa’s abdomen painfully, but he found himself not minding.

“Okay, I’ll sleep!”

Chuckling softly to himself, Nagisa patted the blanketed lump next to him. “Sweet dreams.”

It was only a matter of minutes before Naoki overheated and rolled onto his other side, but the moment seemed nevertheless endearing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, and for everyone who liked MBH so much! I'm excited to start this! I don't know how many chapters it will be and I only have a loose plan for how things are going to go, but I took into account people's suggestions from the comments on MBH!  
> If there are any more explicit scenes, I will make a separate one-shot out of them so people who don't want to read them can easily avoid them, and so I won't have to bump up the rating (aka what I did with Transcendental, which otherwise would've been the beginning of this fic buuut it was filled with smut so nope)  
> Another note: I just started school again, and it is easily going to be the most rigorous year for me yet. I'm already run dry, and this past week put me in a very not good place where it was impossible to write. My phone broke, data got lost, basically it was a terrible time. As of now, I'm trying to get back in the cycle of writing and it's going okay, but please understand if a chapter or two take a long time to write. This first chapter already took a very long time, and I don't know how long of a wait it will be between other chapters, but I'll try my best!
> 
> Whew. Again, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy this story <3 <3


	2. Chapter 2

The sun beat down bright and scathing on Naoki’s head. It was a feeling he usually despised, but it felt somehow soothing at the moment. In front of his eyes, sparkling waves extended far out, and he could still see the faint edge of the coastline moving farther and farther away from them. It was amazing, unlike anything he’d ever seen—from the gasp of awe beside him, Hiyoko hadn’t seen it before either.

“Hey, don’t lean so close to the edge!” Naoki reprimanded her, catching her wrist to pull her back from the railing. Her silky, black hair danced through the wind as she stepped closer to him. It had grown since he’d last seen her, and he thought the long, low pigtails were a nice look.

“Nao-chan, I’m jus’ looking! Stop!” She protested, puffing her cheeks out, and Naoki apologized lowly. He knew he had to be the stronger, mature one. He was older, and their parents were currently near the opposite railing of the large boat. That meant that he needed to protect her, for now—at least, that was how he liked to look at it.

Spending time with her was nice; she was his cousin, in a way. Though she could be outspoken at times, he’d gotten used to it. A part of him thought that, maybe, this was what it could be like to have a little sister.

A sister... That’d be cool, maybe. His thoughts traveled back to his conversation with Tetsuya, on the day he’d been bullied. Before he could get too lost, though, Hiyoko elbowed him.

“Les’ go back.” Her large, childish eyes looked up at him impertinently, so all he could do was nod. The view was stunning, but he’d admit that he didn’t need to admire it any longer.

As they walked back to their parents, Naoki decided to try making conversation. “Now that you’re four, are you scared about going to kindergarten?”

“Nope. I can’t wait!” She quickly replied, a wide smile stretching her cheeks. Naoki nodded, but his eyes lidded in disappointment. She was stronger than him, even at her age. It was frustrating.

 

 

That morning, near the docks and with suitcases and family in tow, Sugino had waved them over with an energetic grin. Even Naoki could easily spot the man through the crowds of people, and his hand had tightened around Nagisa’s. This ‘uncle’ of his was a strange character, he thought, but also a comforting one.

His aunt Yukiko had also been a warming sight; the first thing she did was smile encouragingly to him, exuding a maternal air that rivaled Nagisa’s. Hiyoko, limbs dangling from her mother’s arms, had smiled as well, and it was enough to relax Naoki immensely.

Nagisa, on the other hand, couldn’t let go of his current anxieties. It was only when they allowed the kids to go off on their own that Karma noticed it and sent his husband a knowing glance. _“This is your time to relax; don’t think about such things while you’re here.”_ Nagisa knew he should listen, but it was nigh impossible to forget the phone call he’d gotten from his boss just yesterday. His next mission would be sooner than expected, and the only word that could describe how he was feeling about it was... conflicted.

Sugino and Yukiko weren’t helping, either; once they got any pleasantries out of the way, they immediately began asking about his job and what he was planning to do. The couple had been among the first to know about Naoki’s near-death experience and were understandably worried. Nagisa was humbled that they would care so much, but their worry was only succeeding in increasing his own stress levels...

“I... I’m going to take on a new mission soon after I get back, I think. It’ll be fine, I’m sure.” He hesitantly reported, hoping that this would satisfy his old friends’ concerns. Thankfully, both Sugino and Yukiko smiled at him, relieved.

“That’s great. I hope for the best. And... if you don’t mind me asking, how is Naoki-chan doing?” Yukiko inquired tentatively, brushing her hair out of her face as a rather strong gust of wind washed over them.

Karma grew tense next to him. Nagisa could feel it, and stepped in. “He’s improving. I think he’ll be alright. Nervous about elementary school, understandably, but he’s happier...” A small smile graced his face against his will.

“That’s nice to hear,” Yukiko conceded, and Sugino nodded from beside her.

“I see now, though... that he’s still doing that thing with his hand. It’s cute, don’t get me wrong, but d’you think he’ll ever grow out of it?”

The group looked to where Sugino was gesturing and saw Naoki gazing out at the scenery with Hiyoko beside him. Sure enough, his hand was pressed to his mouth. Hiyoko pointed to something on the horizon, jumping excitedly.

“Oh, yeah...” Karma acknowledged.

Nagisa’s eyebrows furrowed as he turned back to Sugino. “It’s just a bad habit of his... To cope, probably. I’ll get him to stop eventually, somehow...” He tried to make himself sound optimistic, but desperately failed.

“Well, he’s probably just stressed because _your_ girl is so hard to handle. Was she always that rambunctious?” Karma piped up jokingly, easing the tension in the air. Sugino retorted adamantly, and they quickly moved on to a different, less abrasive subject.

Dinner on the cruise ship was expensive and delicious. Seeing Naoki interact so comfortably with adults other than himself and Karma made pride burst in Nagisa’s chest. Yukiko especially would spoil the boy; Nagisa knew that she thought he was excruciatingly adorable. Many of their old friends from 3-E tended to think so, actually—a fact that made him thankful and wary at the same time.

“I know we’re here to celebrate your wonderful daughter’s birthday, but I just feel the need to mention another special date that’s coming up soon.”

At Karma’s comment, the adults turned their attention towards him. Nagisa understood immediately, and his face grew slightly pink, his fork pausing on the way to his mouth.

“Karma, stop...” he whispered quickly, but Sugino was already grinning.

“You’re wedding anniversary, am I right? Heck, even I can remember the date, considering it was such an extravagant celebration.”

Yukiko smiled in understanding as well, much to Nagisa’s embarrassment. “Oh, is it coming up soon? Congratulations! Any special plans?”

Nagisa was still gripping Karma’s sleeve insistently, but laughed nervously. “Ah, thank you...” It wasn’t that he didn’t want to celebrate his anniversary or anything; rather, he found it slightly embarrassing to be talking about it when they were supposed to be on this trip for Hiyoko’s sake...

“Huh? What happened?” Naoki’s small voice piped up from next to Nagisa. The boy apparently had pulled himself from his rambling with Hiyoko to listen in on such an exciting-sounding conversation. Nagisa wet his lips and let go of his husband’s sleeve, thinking of how to respond.

“It’s... Well, soon it will be the anniversary of when your father and I got married. On that day, we’ll be married for four... years...”

Naoki nodded in understanding, a sparkle appearing in his eyes at the thought of his parents being bound together for so long. Nagisa’s eyes, however, grew vacant. Four years. Had it really been so long?

_I... feel old. Dammit._

Karma, grinning at the amazed look in his son’s eyes, added, “Yep. And that day, we’ll celebrate it. We can even make a cake.”

Hearing that there would be sugary confectioneries, Naoki’s eyes widened, and he donned a smile. “Really? Yay!”

The adults laughed at his exuberance, and Nagisa felt himself relax again. So he was slightly caught off guard when, just a second later, Karma put a hand on his neck and pulled his head to the side for a gentle kiss. Nagisa didn’t have enough time to react before he pulled away, but his cheeks were ahead of him, already lively and red.

“I can’t wait,” Karma intoned. There was a lecherous glint in his eyes, but it was greatly overshadowed by unconditional love—Nagisa’s heartrate choked.

Too happy for words, he forgot his embarrassment but still didn’t reply, turning back to his plate with a hot face. Karma was surely smiling from beside him. Thankfully, everyone was already back to their own conversations, leaving Nagisa to sort things through.

It was true that he felt stressed; his anniversary would be the day before he left on his mission, after all. He wouldn’t be able to stay up late, or celebrate to the fullest... Though, it was better than having to start a job on the day _of_ his anniversary. That would just be pure evil... He’d take what he could get. Karma didn’t seem annoyed or stressed by it, so maybe he shouldn’t be either.

 

 

That night, Naoki spent the later hours with Hiyoko in her family’s room. The two families acquired rooms exactly adjacent to each other, so Naoki was at ease knowing that his parents were just a wall away from him. Besides, he planned on going back to their room to sleep—it was only at Sugino’s suggestion and Hiyoko’s excited pleading that he was here now, helping his younger cousin build a fort of pillows and blankets on her designated bed. Sugino and his wife sat relaxed on the other bed, watching television—it was peaceful. Naoki liked it, but it made his eyelids droop even more than they already were.

“There, done!” Hiyoko proclaimed triumphantly, crawling underneath the array of covers to check the spaciousness of their fort before popping back out with frizzy hair. Naoki grinned back, the comfy sight of piled pillows and blankets appearing increasingly enticing to him.

In fact, they looked so enticing that he couldn’t help but crawl inside to test the cushiness, Hiyoko gladly following him back in. Light still shone in through the blankets, but the inside of the fort appeared just like the inside of a cloud—nothing but cool softness. Naoki fell into a corner of their pile, caught up in the serenity, and Hiyoko joined to curl up beside him.

“This is fun!” she squealed, and he nodded happily in agreement. For once, he wasn’t the slightest bit annoyed as she launched into a somewhat incoherent tirade about how her birthday party had gone. Rather, he almost found himself lulled to sleep by it... It wasn’t dark at all, and he was with people he trusted—the fear that would otherwise keep him awake with anxiety was gone. All that was left was Hiyoko’s perky voice.

“...An’ he was _really_ nice! He helped me blow the candles, an’...”

Naoki had no idea which of her friends Hiyoko was describing this time, but her words immediately directed his train of thought to Tetsuya... He didn’t understand why, but he couldn’t help thinking of his blond crush. Face filling with a soft blush, he remembered what had occurred on that last Monday of school, and his fingers curled into the blankets.

_That girl... thought it was weird to have two dads. Tetsuya said it wasn’t strange, but..._

Turning his head to inspect Hiyoko, who rambled on without a care, Naoki felt an uneasiness pervading his calmness. Hiyoko had two parents as well—a mom and a dad—and anyone could easily tell that she was related to them. She had her mom’s hair and nose, her dad’s eyes and smile... She’d even inherited her dad’s tenacity and her mom’s compassion.

His dark eyes turned downwards, focusing on nothing. What had _he_ inherited from his parents...? Anything? His hair and eyes were much too dark, and his skin too pale... He wasn’t athletic or outgoing enough, either.

_Daddy and Papa are nothing like me... Neither of them._

Feeling too much like a black sheep, Naoki’s face turned downcast, and he curled in further on himself. After a few seconds, Hiyoko’s voice paused.

“...Are you okay?”

Feeling her pudgy hand tentatively touching his shoulder, he raised his eyes again. “Yeah. I’m just thinking.”

She finally appeared serious, which he was thankful for. “’Bout what?”

“Just...” Naoki lowered his voice, nervous about the adults in the room even if they weren’t likely to overhear them in their fort. “...about our parents. Yours are different than mine—you have a mom.”

When she merely nodded to that fact, he continued, “...I have two dads, though. Do you think that’s... weird?”

After seeming to mull the question over for a little while, she answered with a knowing smile, “No! My daddy told me before that it doesn’t mind!”

Knowing already that Hiyoko had picked up a strange habit of saying ‘mind’ instead of ‘matter,’ Naoki got the picture and nodded, relieved. But then again, he thought, of _course_ Uncle Sugino would tell her that...

“Why do you think we’re different, though?”

She took some time to think again, before shaking her head. “It’s not different really, right?”

Naoki paused, contemplating how he was going to explain this to Hiyoko... who probably didn’t have any idea how babies were made. Well, Naoki wasn’t one-hundred percent sure what the process was either, but he’d heard enough secondhand information to be positive about how the basics worked.

“...Well, every child needs to have a mom and a dad—I mean, that’s how people are made, by a woman and a man.”

Hearing this, Hiyoko’s eyes grew wide with amazement—clearly, she hadn’t heard that before. “Really?”

“Y-Yeah? That’s what everyone in my class says. That means I should have a mom, right? But, I don’t... and I don’t know why.”

Taking some time to think again, she answered, curling her hair around her finger, “Maybe two mans can make a person too?”

Naoki’s eyes lidded, doubtful. If that were true, then Kita wouldn’t have bullied him, right? Or, maybe she just didn’t know...

“Maybe. I don’t know.”

The two children lapsed into a deep, contemplative silence, before Hiyoko filled it again. “You could ask your daddies. Or my mommy or daddy. Maybe?”

Faced with the same advice Tetsuya had given him, Naoki could do nothing but nod. “Yeah. Okay.”

Grinning now, Hiyoko shot up from her prone position, suddenly raising her voice. “Cool! Mo—“

Immediately, Naoki understood she was going to call out for her parents, and reacted instantly by pulling her back down and covering her loud mouth. “No! Shh—be quiet!”

She struggled at first, but soon acquiesced into his hold. When she stopped moving, he removed his hand, mumbling, “Don’t just ask _now._ I’ll do it by myself later.”

Turning her head to pout up at him, she crossed her arms. “But I wanna know too!”

“You can ask by yourself later, then. Or when I find out, I’ll tell you. Right now, I want to do something else...”

Naoki realized she had the attention span of a rodent, as her expression quickly turned passive and her arms uncrossed. “What?”

“Um... Let’s play a word game. Do you know any?”

They moved on without a fuss, much to Naoki’s relief. And after they became bored by their game, Hiyoko asked her father to tell them a story about ‘the great octopus-teacher.’ Sugino followed through with only some exaggeration; Hiyoko seemed engrossed in the story as he told it, though Naoki had already heard this one from his own parents. It was nice to hear it again anyway, and he was quickly becoming drowsy from lying down in the fluffy pile.

Hiyoko, despite her boundless energy, seemed to be in the same boat; before he could comprehend it, her eyes were closed and her chest was rising and falling rhythmically. Eventually, Sugino’s voice disappeared. Naoki’s eyes fumbled around, and he vaguely noticed that the room outside of their fort was darker than before. With that last thought, his eyes closed.

Hours passed before Naoki regained consciousness, and in the moments before his cognition fully returned to him, he floundered in a panic. He was completely surrounded by pillows and covers, unaware of the location, time, place—he felt entirely suffocated, and desperately batted at the cushy material around him. Within a few seconds he managed to worm his way out from underneath the fort and popped his head out, loudly breathing in the fresh air.

His eyes scanned his surroundings—right, he was in his uncle and aunt’s room... His Uncle Sugino was staring at him, wide-eyed, and preparing to advance. Naoki’s eyes darted to the door, quickly locking on his own father, who was wearing a white robe supplied to them by the cruise line. Nagisa stared at him as well, surprised and dazed.

Before Sugino could get to him, Naoki shot out of the bed like a bullet and ran to hug Nagisa’s legs. “Papa! Papa!” He couldn’t comprehend exactly why he felt so scared, so anxious. All he knew was his emotions; he wanted to be with his parents, where he was safe.

Nagisa instinctively knelt lower to wrap his arms around his son, leaning his cheek on top of his dark hair. “I’m here, sweetie. Are you alright? Did you have a nightmare just now?”

As he heard his father’s serene murmurs, he felt himself relaxing, and his thoughts slowed. Yes—he was certain that he must’ve had a nightmare. He had no idea what had happened in it, though; he didn’t want to know. Instead of saying anything outright, he gripped Nagisa’s robe tighter.

Understanding, Nagisa exhaled evenly before hefting Naoki up into his arms, standing up straight to carry the boy. Naoki kept his head in Nagisa’s shoulder. He felt much better already, but his father was like a safety blanket—he didn’t want to let go.

“I can handle it, Sugino-kun. Thank you for letting him stay here and looking after him.”

“It’s no problem at all, Nagisa-kun... I was happy to help, anyway. Meet us for brunch in a bit?”

“Yeah.”

Naoki didn’t pay much attention to the conversation, staying silent and motionless as he was carried to the adjacent room and placed on the edge of the bed. Faintly, he heard a shower running from the closed bathroom door, and figured it was his other father.

Nagisa sat next to him, his hand placed comfortingly on his back. Silence persevered for a moment, before the parent carefully spoke up.

“Are you okay? Want to talk to me?”

Finally, Naoki looked up to see his father’s worried, loving expression, and he felt a warm glow rise in his chest. “...You... weren’t there. You and Daddy weren’t there to keep me safe when I was sleeping.”

At first, Nagisa seemed at a loss for words, his eyebrows twitching apologetically. “...I’m so sorry, sweetie. Did you not have a good time with Hiyoko-chan? We were only a room away—nothing would’ve happened to you.”

Naoki didn’t answer, and Nagisa soon pulled him closer to his side. He bent down to kiss the top of his head. “Did you have a nightmare? Want to tell me about it?”

“...I don’t remember it, except that it was scary,” Naoki mumbled into Nagisa’s side, and Nagisa nodded. The father became surprised, however, when Naoki continued, “...It’s not your fault, Papa. M’okay now. Don’t feel bad.”

Pulling away to stare at him contemplatively, Nagisa then nodded again and hugged him once more. “Alright, I’m glad you’re okay. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

This time, Nagisa faced him with a slight smile. “...So, does that mean you’re all ready to get dressed and go meet up with them?”

Naoki wrinkled his nose in response, making Nagisa giggle amusedly.

“Alright, alright, I was joking. Wanna cuddle while I read?”

He couldn’t help his slight embarrassment—was he getting too old for this?—but he also couldn’t deny his delight at the suggestion, and nodded happily. Nagisa hummed as he pulled his half-read book from his carry-on, and Naoki joined him at the head of the bed, curling up under his arm and resting his head on his chest. For the next twenty minutes, the only sound echoing through the room was that of the running shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait for this--might be a while between chapters, considering school and the fact that I'm also writing other stuff during this. Feedback from you guys makes me more motivated though!
> 
> Also sorry that this chapter is significantly shorter than the first (I don't know what happened there) but to be fair, there is a pretty big NSFW scene that takes place during this chapter. I'm going to post it later today under this same series (titled "Look at Me") so if you want to read it, go there. It has no plot at all, just smut, so you're not missing anything if you don't want to read it.
> 
> Thanks for reading <3


	3. Chapter 3

The stove’s timer buzzed. Nagisa hurried to turn down the heat, wiping his messy hands on his apron. He felt the condensation and blazing air blasting in his face and was sure he was sweating, but this was par for the course. Tonight, he’d offered to cook instead of Karma, who was currently sitting at a table and doing paperwork a few feet away. Naoki was in his room and presumably reading or playing on his keyboard—his usual pastimes during this time of day.

Their cruise had gone well after that first night—the kids had enjoyed it immensely, which was always the most important thing, especially considering that the trip was for Hiyoko’s birthday. As the families departed and the Akabane household returned home, however, Nagisa noticed that his son was lost in deep thought. Well, Naoki _always_ seemed to have something on his mind, but this time Nagisa knew it was more serious—it seemed to be eating away at the poor boy. For now, he’d decided to leave it be, but if it went on too long, he told himself that he would step in. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that and Naoki would feel comfortable enough to confide in either of his parents, but...

Nagisa let out another sigh and wiped his heat-red face with a sleeve, glad that he could allow himself a break from the stove at this time. Cooking could be fun, but it wasn’t a very good distraction from other... worries.

As he paused, he caught sight of Karma. Instead of reading through business papers like he was _supposed_ to be doing, the other man was simply staring at him with his cheek in his hand, smiling like a dork. Though his face was already red from the temperature in the kitchen, Nagisa felt his head get even hotter. He knew what that look meant; Karma was thinking something sappy and probably idiotic.

“Wh-What are you staring at?” He tried to come off as dismissive, twirling a finger around the tassels of his apron, but his voice sounded more embarrassed than anything else. It made Karma’s grin widen. He quite resembled a wolf.

“Hmmm... Dessert, I hope.”

At that, Nagisa’s face turned bright scarlet, and he shot a glare at his inwardly chuckling husband. “Oh, stop. There’ll be none of that...” he trailed off, turning back to the stove pitifully. Even after all these years, Karma’s teasing tended to get the best of him.

“Well, just because I can’t eat something doesn’t mean I can’t admire its craftsmanship.”

Nagisa simply kept his eyes forward in a vain attempt at ignoring his lover. When he didn’t react, though, Karma was at his side within a few seconds. All the redhead did was keep grinning, leaning closer; Nagisa knew now that the dog wouldn’t leave unless he threw it a bone.

Keeping his eyes on the stove, he muttered nonchalantly, “...You can have a little piece, if you want. Just a taste.”

He didn’t even have to look to know that Karma’s smile was cheeky and insolent. “Don’t mind if I do.”

A hand soon caught his jaw and turned his face towards Karma’s. There was that smile, just as he’d thought. He narrowed his eyes, but indulged his love and didn’t fight it. Their lips met softly, Karma quickly nipping a few times before Nagisa allowed him in. They moved their mouths languidly, and Nagisa managed to run his hand through Karma’s hair a couple times before he forcibly pulled them apart. It was obvious that Karma wished to continue, and a part of Nagisa wanted to as well—but wasn’t that always the case?

“Alright, you got your taste. Let me _provide for this family_ now. You should be doing the same.”

As per usual, Karma didn’t react defensively, instead confidently smirking. “I love it when you tell me what to do like that.”

Nagisa only willed the blush away from his face as he watched Karma sit back down. Some things never changed.

 

 

The couple’s anniversary celebration went off without a hitch the next day. Naoki was adamant about helping to bake the cake, so Nagisa allowed him to mix the batter at the least. After a dinner rife with shared kisses, the adults spoke of promises and love as Naoki was taking a bath. Nagisa forced himself not to cry at the cheesiness of the moment; it was unbearable, in more than one way.

When Naoki was ready to go to bed, Nagisa mulled over whether to tell him that he would be leaving the next morning for a job. They hadn’t been telling him beforehand in an attempt to stave off his breakdowns; Nagisa leaving for a long period of time always brought forth sobs and screams. But maybe now, Nagisa thought, Naoki was old enough and had been through enough to be allowed this. He could see his son maturing; perhaps this time he could handle it, and think about it clearly.

“Papa, are you okay?” Noticing that his father was lost in thought, Naoki piped up from where he lay, covers pulled up all the way to the button tip of his nose. Nagisa, sitting on the edge of the bed next to him, offered a reassuring smile.

“Yes, I’m fine. I just have something to tell you.” Naoki stared at him expectantly, so Nagisa took a deep breath before continuing. _Be calm._ “Tomorrow morning, I’m going to be leaving for a trip again—my first since what happened.” Already, his boy’s eyes were widening, so he hastily added, “I have to continue my career, sweetie. It’s what I do—who I am. I promise that I’ll be perfectly fine and back within a week, okay?”

He practically held his breath as Naoki blinked, tears edging at his large eyes. This was a terrible idea. Why did he think this would be okay? His son would be blowing up in three, two, one...

Naoki sniffed, a tear falling, but he shot up to tightly hug Nagisa. “...I don’t want you to leave. I’d miss you,” he mumbled into his neck, much quieter than Nagisa had thought he would be. Deeply relieved, Nagisa rubbed his back and returned the warm hug.

“Oh, sweetie, I won’t be gone for very long. You’ll have your father here—and as soon as I return, we can watch movies and eat chocolate all day, okay? I don’t want you to be sad...”

They hugged for a while, and then Naoki pulled away to wipe his face on his sleeve, mumbling, “B-But wh-what about you getting hurt?”

“I won’t get hurt this time; I’ll make sure of that. You don’t have to worry so much, Naoki. This is my career—I know how to handle it. You’ll have faith in me, won’t you?” His voice was gentle, and it soothed Naoki’s nerves until the boy’s eyes were no longer wet, only red.

Nagisa waited with bated breath, until Naoki finally answered, “A-Alright.” His eyes immediately lit up with pride. Naoki was learning to be okay with it.

“...C-Can I see you in the morning before you g-go?”

“Oh, of _course_ , sweetie,” Nagisa answered admonishingly, squeezing him again and pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “I won’t leave without giving you a big hug and a kiss first, I promise. Until then, sleep, okay?”

Leaning back down into the bed, Naoki’s voice was pitched with a hint of fearfulness. “C-Can you stay with me?”

“Yes, of course I will.”

That was how Karma found them—Nagisa in the middle of the bed with his arms linked around their slumbering boy. He smiled fondly as he watched the sight, before getting in on the other side of his husband and wrapping his arms around his waist.

“I love you.”

Nagisa was drowsy, but could still hear the whisper brushing his ear. Too sleepy to answer, he moved one of his hands to Karma’s and squeezed tightly.

The first one to wake up that morning was Nagisa, a few minutes before his alarm, which was a blessing. He reached over Naoki’s sleeping form to shut it off before it could ring and settled back down in his spot with a tired sigh, eyes still bleary. There was a heavy weight in his heart, but he also felt hopeful.

Checking to make sure Naoki was soundly asleep before turning around in his position, Nagisa looked up at Karma’s unmoving face. It was so still, so serene; it wasn’t often that anyone could see the man like this. Nagisa smiled, leaning closer to brush their lips together. Karma’s were motionless at first, and Nagisa pressed harder, catching his bottom lip in between his own. Within a few seconds, Karma’s sluggishly moved in response, and he wrapped his arms around Nagisa’s shoulders and waist.

“Mm... Morning... Love waking up like that...” Karma mumbled out as they pulled away. Smiling again, Nagisa kissed his nose and leaned back to meet his eyes, his hands rubbing unhurriedly over his husband’s shoulders.

“...I’ll have to go in a couple hours,” he whispered, so as to not wake their son.

Uneasiness flickered in Karma’s eyes for a second, but it was quickly replaced with an accepting smile. “Got it. You tell him?”

“Yes. He’ll be okay. He...” A yawn cut off Nagisa’s sentence, “...He’s gotten better about it.”

“...Good.” A smirk plastered itself on Karma’s face as he sat up to stretch. He then leaned down for a few final kisses—first on Nagisa’s mouth, then down his jaw and neck, which made Nagisa giggle.

“How about I go make breakfast, and you can spend some time with him as you get ready to leave?”

“Got it.”

Once Karma had left, Nagisa took a breath and turned around to face his son’s back, curled up and unmoving. Not wanting to awaken him too abruptly—Naoki, although still generally serene, had been getting grouchier and grouchier in the mornings—Nagisa sidled up and hugged him gently, resting his cheek on his head. Within a minute Naoki squirmed slightly, so Nagisa took that as his cue and ruffled his hair.

“Morning sweetie. Time to wake up.” He kept his voice quiet, and Naoki eventually turned around, albeit sluggishly. His eyes were noticeably bleary, and Nagisa rubbed them with his thumbs, making Naoki squeak, discomforted.

The sleep-addled boy mumbled incoherently for a moment before regaining his reason and blinking, taking in the sight of his expectant father. He seemed to steel himself, and Nagisa wearily watched the distress building in his murky eyes.

“O-Okay. I’m up.” Tiny hands clutched Nagisa’s nightshirt. “...A-Are you going to leave soon?”

His heart caught at the disappointment lacing the question. “...Yes, in a little while, I will. But I still have a couple hours to get ready—and time to spend with you. Okay?”

Naoki seemed to mull it over, and soon nodded to himself. “Okay... Y-You can get ready, then.”

Expecting to be forced into bed for a while longer, Nagisa blinked but nodded back. “Sure. I won’t be long—just have to prepare a few things.”

Nagisa purged the closets and bathroom cupboards, never leaving his bedroom—he didn’t have to. This allowed Naoki to watch curiously as his father packed clothes, supplies, and all kinds of instruments—most he had never seen before in his life—into his travel pack. He was also able to witness a phone call, mostly consisting of reaffirmations and one-word answers to Nagisa’s boss. By the time the assassin’s routine was finished, a half-hour had passed and Naoki still laid snug under the covers.

“Papa...”

Hearing his boy speak up, Nagisa set down his pack on the floor near the door and approached him again, sitting down on the bed and wrapping a comforting arm around his shoulders. “Yeah, pumpkin?”

“Is it scary, going out and hurting people?”

“Hmm...” Nagisa’s eyes darted to the side; he didn’t particularly enjoy having these types of conversations, especially with his five-year-old, who still would have a shaky concept of morals. The fear of saying something wrong, accidentally corrupting him, was always looming over the worried parent... He couldn’t just _not_ give an answer, though.

“...It _is_ very scary. But it’s also what I’m meant to do—just like... how Koro-sensei was meant to be a teacher. And just like how Karma is meant to be an official. There are parts of his job that are scary as well, but he still has to do them. That doesn’t mean there aren’t _good_ parts, though.”

Naoki seemed to be thinking very deeply, and his head leaned against Nagisa’s shoulder. “...What are the good parts of your job?”

Well, that wouldn’t be too hard. Nagisa smiled easily. “It’s what I’m best at—my talent, where I’m... comfortable. It makes me feel good to improve my skills and do my best. I also have a lot of friendly coworkers, and other friends that I’ve made through my job... And the best part is that I get to provide for my family.” He goosed Naoki’s sides gently as he ended, making the boy smile and squirm happily.

His son seemed satisfied with his response, though there was still another question on his mind. “Will... something like that ever happen again?”

Knowing exactly what he was referring to, Nagisa stroked a hand through his hair soothingly. His answer was certain. “No. It won’t; we won’t let it happen, I promise. You don’t need to worry, sweetie.”

The doubt that was lingering in Naoki’s eyes seemed to fade, and he smiled, leaning closer to his father almost graciously. They rested silently, though Nagisa could effortlessly tell that there was still _something_ on the boy’s mind—something persistent. He wouldn’t push, but he hoped Naoki would be able to speak up on his own.

True to Nagisa’s intuition, Naoki’s mind was still filled to the brim with questions, although they were no longer questions of Nagisa’s profession. Instead, they were nothing but wonderings about his own origins. Since the cruise, he’d been unable to stop thinking about it.

_How was I made?_

_Why don’t I have a mom like all the other kids?_

_Why don’t I look like Daddy or Papa?_

_Why did that girl say that I’m weird, and a freak?_

Looking at his father now, though, Naoki couldn’t bring himself to ask any of those questions. Nagisa would be leaving soon; he didn’t want their last moments to be spent thinking of scary, sad things. Pushing the thoughts out of his head, he forced his eyes to brighten.

“...Papa, when will I get piano lessons?”

A tinge of surprise edged Nagisa’s expression, but he quickly replied, “Oh, soon. Right when you start school, we can sign you up. Are you excited?”

The mention of school made Naoki’s spirits deflate slightly, but he still kicked his feet happily. “Yeah! I can’t wait!”

Nagisa hummed a laugh. “I’m sure you’ll be great, sweetie.”

For ten more minutes Nagisa petted his hair and reassured him, until Karma finally called them for breakfast. Though it was much earlier than the regular time they would eat, no one minded. Nagisa could see that both his boys were trying extra hard to show their love and support; it warmed his heart.

That’s why, when he stood at the front door, he felt ready. No longer worried.

Karma regarded him with a sad but proud smile. “You know what I’m going to say, but I’ll say it anyway... You’d better be okay. Don’t do anything stupid.”

Smiling back at him fondly, Nagisa retorted while loosely holding onto his arm, “You don’t need to act like I’m being shipped off to war; we’ve been through this before. I _promise_ I’ll be okay.”

“Well, you know how last time went... I don’t want that to happen again.” Karma’s tone grew stern, and Nagisa leaned closer to give him a soft kiss, transferring strength.

“It won’t,” he whispered against his lips. When he pulled back, Karma appeared relaxed again.

Naoki, who’d been standing near Karma, became impatient and tugged on his father’s sweats. Karma complied with a weary sigh, hoisting him up into his arms and commenting, “And will _you_ be good until your Papa gets home?”

“Yeah, I promise...” Naoki mumbled in a sincere tone, moisture beading at the corners of his eyes. Nagisa saw it, smiled dotingly, and reached out to brush it away.

“If you keep to that promise, I’ll make sure to come home extra quick.”

“...H-How will you know if I keep it?” Naoki asked, surprised and blinking through the flecks of tears.

“I’ll just sense it.” Nagisa turned his attention back to Karma, narrowing his eyes. “ _You_ don’t do anything stupid. Take care of him.”

“I hear ya, I hear ya...” Karma had, in fact, heard it all before, and faintly rolled his eyes. Catching it, Nagisa quirked an eyebrow and interrupted him with a longer kiss, putting all of himself into it.

When they parted, he whispered, “I love you.”

“...Mm.” Their eyes met in kind, and no other words needed to be said.

Nagisa again switched to Naoki, pecking his lips gently and ruffling his hair. “I _love_ you, sweetie. And I’ll be back soon.”

This time, the tears couldn’t be held back, and they rolled down Naoki’s face silently as his arms stretched open. Understanding the signal, Nagisa hugged him tightly from where he perched in Karma’s arms.

From his shirt, a mumble was heard. “I love you too. I-I’ll miss you.”

“Oh, I’ll miss you too, sweetheart.” Nagisa’s hands clenched before he pulled away, and he watched them both fondly—his family.

“You two have fun without me,” he laughed, and they sent him off. For the first time, Nagisa felt no weight in his heart as he left.

 

 

Three days since Nagisa had departed, the father-son duo went to the zoo. It wasn’t a common occurrence; Naoki’s parents were usually far too busy for all-day trips. So when the little boy woke up to the promise of seeing exotic animals like giraffes and penguins and lions, he was overwhelmed with excitement. Karma packed a bag of possible necessities—snacks, water, markers and crayons in case Naoki got bored—with nervousness. It wasn’t as if they did this kind of thing every day, and if they did, it was usually Nagisa who would bother with these details.

Hand in hand with his father, Naoki spent the first two hours of their trip gazing around the various exhibits with complete awe. Other adults would coo and smile when he would innocently blurt out an overexcited comment, and Karma began carrying him when his petite feet got too tired. Needless to say, he was happy, even with Nagisa not there.

Seeing this, Karma was filled with pride, both for himself and Naoki. Their kid seemed to be so attached to Nagisa that Karma feared he would _never_ be able to stay happy whenever Nagisa left. This proved it was possible.

At least, it did for a few hours. After Naoki complained of being a little hungry, the two stopped their sightseeing to order some typical boardwalk food and sit at an outdoor food court. Observing the child across from him, Karma noticed a distinct change in his demeanor—Naoki was much quieter, looking down at his food, trying his hardest not to make eye contact. The change was so abrupt that Karma found himself dithering in confusion for a few moments before he managed to say anything.

“...Hey bud, you alright?” He tried to sound as casual as possible, though the look of surprise and slight worry that appeared on his son’s face almost made him cringe. But it wasn’t as if he could’ve stayed silent while Naoki seemed so down. He was a father.

Taking a moment to swallow his mouthful of food and collect his thoughts, Naoki answered with a hum—one that could’ve meant ‘no’ or ‘yes,’ for all Karma knew. The man blinked. Well, it was clear that Naoki wasn’t interested in talking about whatever this was, but Nagisa would kill him if he found out that he’d let their son sulk about it all by himself.

Karma sighed through his nose, turning his head to look at the closest exhibit—the jaguars, lazing about. He knew that staring his son down would only make them both more nervous, so he kept his tone unassuming.

“How do you like the zoo so far?”

“S’good,” Naoki mumbled in between spoonfuls of ice cream.

Holding back another sigh, Karma resigned himself to his fate and grabbed a few of their napkins before tilting his son’s face up and away from the ice cream. Naoki pouted, but allowed the globs on his face to be wiped away.

“...You _sure_ that there’s nothing on your mind?” Rubbing Naoki’s cheek, Karma opted to try again now that their close proximity ensured that his son would _have_ to acknowledge him.

“M’sure.”

The perfect picture of an exasperated father, Karma stared into Naoki’s stony eyes for a few seconds before leaning back and putting the napkins with their food wrappings. “Naoki...”

Hearing his father’s tone turn a bit serious, Naoki lifted his head back up guiltily.

“You know that you can tell me anything, and I won’t be mad. I _promise_ you that I won’t be mad. I know that there’s something on your little mind, and I’d like for you to tell me...” The corners of his mouth twitching downwards, Karma made his tone gentler. “Does it have something to do with your Papa? Are you sad he can’t be here with us? You know I’d do anything in the world to make you happy, bud, but Papa can’t go with you everywhere...”

“No! No, that’s not it...” Naoki spoke up, looking even guiltier now. His expression tugged at Karma’s heart a little. Catching himself, Naoki continued quieter, “...S’not because of Papa... I _know_ that he can’t be with us all the time—he has work an’ stuff. Just like you do and all parents do. It’s okay...”

Frowning, Karma reached across the table to comfortingly ruffle Naoki’s hair. The boy looked up at him and spontaneously jumped off the bench, running around the table to his father’s side and climbing up onto his lap. Karma allowed him up, tugging him into his hold and rubbing his back soothingly.

“I’m glad you’re okay with it, sweetie...” he mumbled into his son’s dark hair, though he was a bit confused at the sudden embrace, considering that Naoki had said Nagisa _wasn’t_ the problem. He didn’t see the need for such dramatics, but if the boy needed to be comforted then he would gladly provide that for him.

They stayed silent for a moment before Karma pulled the boy back, settling him on his knee so they could face each other. Naoki’s pudgy face was free of tear-tracks, thankfully.

“...So, if that isn’t the problem, is there something else you need to tell me, Naoki?” Karma put forth hesitantly, brushing the kid’s hair away from his face. Naoki only darted his eyes down, and Karma continued to card his hand through his locks. “Remember, you can tell me anything, kiddo.”

A few seconds passed; Naoki’s voice peeped out from his tilted head. “...Will I ever get a brother or sister?”

Of all the scenarios Karma had been running through his head, this was one he wasn’t expecting.

“Uh...” He wet his lips, trying to make sense of his jumbled thoughts. Naoki looked up to him expectantly. Though he hadn’t ever imagined this specific conversation, it definitely fell under the category of ‘conversations to have with his son _only with Nagisa present_ ’. But Nagisa wasn’t here.

Naoki, his mood suddenly turned around, now refused to look away from him, so Karma came up with the only response he could think of. “...What’s got you thinking about that all of a sudden, bud?”

Not expecting that question, Naoki pursed his lips. “...Um, well, lotsa kids in my class have brothers or sisters. Like Tetsuya-kun... And I thought maybe it’d be cool to have one, too...” he trailed off, his voice so quiet that Karma strained to hear him.

Naoki was a little surprised when his explanation was met with a slightly guilty look from Karma, his father taking one of his tiny hands.

“...Well, um...” Karma’s eyes darted around; he was clearly unsure of how to proceed. Even Naoki could see that. “I... I’m not sure if that will happen, Naoki. That’s something that both your Papa and I would have to talk _a lot_ about before we could make that decision. I’m sorry that I can’t give you an answer right now.”

Contrary to what Karma expected, instead of becoming upset Naoki merely lifted his brows in realization. “...Oh, so... that’s how it works? You and Papa just talk about it, and it happens if you want it to? That’s how... you guys got me?”

Surprised, Karma leaned back, and it all became clear to him. Naoki wasn’t asking just because he wanted a sibling; he wanted to know how babies were made. Karma’s face turned red, but he kept his composure in check. He and Nagisa both knew that this question would come soon enough, but Karma had taken for granted that Nagisa would do most of the talking when the time came. With his husband at work, his plans—if you could call them that—for this occasion were dashed.

Though the father been deceived in the beginning, Naoki now saw that Karma had figured out his true motives, and the boy ducked his head sheepishly.

“Um...” Karma choked, patting his son on the back lamely. “It’s not quite... like that. It—It’s a bit more complicated, Naoki.”

The boy’s head lifted, and though he was still embarrassed, his curiosity surpassed it. “Whaddaya mean? What is it?”

“Well...” Karma sighed, letting his exasperation show through. “This is really something that Nagisa should be here for as well... I think that he’d like to help explain it to you, bud.”

A small frown appeared on Naoki’s upturned face. “So you can’t tell me _anything_? Why not?”

Karma frowned to match him. “What’s got you wondering about this in the first place? I’m not buying your last explanation—not anymore.”

Naoki’s eyes darted away again, his entire body seeming to slump with sadness. Karma was immediately put on alert, and rubbed his hand over the boy’s shoulders. When Naoki’s voice piped up, it was meek.

“There’s... this girl in my class. She was saying that—that babies are made from just a man and a woman. But you and Papa... are both guys. And she said it was wrong, and I was a f-freak... And you and Papa were...”

Pure anger bubbled up in Karma’s chest, and he was glad Naoki wasn’t facing him so he wouldn’t be able to see the rage clear on his face. The thought that Naoki, already shy and demure enough, was getting _bullied..._ And that he and Nagisa had been dragged into it. It wasn’t that he didn’t see it coming; even nowadays, ignorant and bigoted people still existed and would let themselves be known. But he’d hoped that Naoki would be able to avoid them for as long as possible.

How long had this been going on? How _bad_ was it? Karma pushed his anger away, looking down at Naoki and focusing on damage-control.

“Naoki...” He tilted his son’s face up, glad to see that he still wasn’t crying, though he looked on the verge. “Hey, how long ago was this? Does it happen often? When things like this happen, you’ve gotta tell me or your Papa right away, okay?”

Naoki nodded, clenching his father’s shirt in his tiny hands. “It—It only happened once. It was before the cruise trip... Just at recess... Tetsuya-kun h-helped me and made her stop, b-but... I don’t _understand,_ Daddy. How come everyone else has a mom, and I have two dads instead?”

Both parents knew that this question would also come sooner or later, but faced with it now, Karma felt... worry. What if his answer wasn’t good enough? _Nagisa was always the better one for things like this..._

He decided to start easy, his voice gentle and low. “It’s not _everyone_ else, Naoki. There are other little boys and girls with parents of the same gender, all over the world. Just like our family. Kids with two dads, or two moms. We are less common families, yes, but we exist anywhere.”

Naoki calmed hearing that answer. “So... It’s normal?”

“Yeah, bud, we’re just as normal as anyone else.” Karma smiled, ruffling the boy’s hair and managing to get out a small burst of laughter. “There are people in the world who will say otherwise, like that girl in your class. But you can’t let them get to you, alright? They don’t know _nothing._ ”

“They don’t know nothin’!” Naoki mimicked, high-pitched and smiling with relief. Karma mentally patted himself on the back.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t off the hook yet. “So that means that _anyone_ can make a baby with _anyone_? How does it work, Daddy?”

Karma held back a long sigh. “...And _that_ part of this conversation will have to wait for your Papa, kiddo. Sorry to say, but I think he’d rather tell you about how that works.” _More like he’d kill me when I’d accidentally say something too inappropriate for five-year-old ears._

“But Daddy...!” Naoki whined, banging on his father’s chest for a few seconds before resorting to a teary pout. Unyielding, Karma lifted him up as he rose from the table to clean up their spot. He’d done a great job providing damage-control, and that was good enough for him. The conversation was closed for now.

“If you be good and wait for your Papa, we’ll get some cotton candy as well. How does that sound?”

“Umm... Okay, but just ‘cos I’m extra hungry today!”

“Sure, bud. You’re the boss.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, it's been forever since an update, I know. Life sucks. Those of you who contacted me at my tumblr (yasuhomo) to ask about the fic, it's very appreciated because that also reminded me to finish this chapter as soon as I could! Updates should be quicker now. I actually wrote the first half of this chapter months and months ago, so it took me a while to remember what I was doing, haha. Thanks for sticking with me :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for super cringey conversation haha :')

“But Daddy, _plea-se?_ I wanna! I wanna see Papa right when he gets here, and, and I can show him how good I’ve been!”

Letting out a weary sigh, Karma weighed his options. There was no way that he could let Naoki stay up until eleven; Nagisa would murder him as soon as he got home, no doubt. But it was taking _ages_ for the little boy to fall asleep! The poor father had been working hard at the task for almost an _hour,_ and still Naoki wouldn’t sleep. It wasn’t as if this was a new development—Naoki could be downright inconsolable some nights—but this was one of the worst cases Karma had seen yet. And having had an incredibly stressful day of working from home, which was more difficult than it sounded, Karma didn’t feel quite up to dealing with it. At least, not alone.

At these moments, he truly could see how invaluable an asset Nagisa was to their home. His heart ached, but he knew it was only a matter of hours before his love would be asleep in his arms again.

Back to the issue at hand—was there a way to get the boy to sleep quickly? All of those “sleepytime” teas Nagisa kept in their cupboards—chamomile, lavender, other herbs that Karma wasn’t sure how to pronounce—didn’t seem to do anything. At least, not when Karma prepared them.

“...Okay, bud...” Kneeling at their bedside, he was at his end’s wit, his voice desperate. “...Anything. I’ll do _anything_ you ask, as long as you get your sleep. You need it, Naoki. Nagisa will be right beside us in the morning; you’ll wake up next to him. Won’t that be nice? For now, I just need you to sleep.”

Naoki seemed to ponder the offer, cutely staring upwards in thought before looking back at his dad with a cheeky smile. “ _May-_ be... I think I can think of something.”

“You can?”

“Hmm... Yep!” Naoki clapped his hands together, suddenly beaming. “You gotta sleep _with_ me Daddy! Then, we’ll _both_ be asleep when Papa gets home, not just me! And if you wake up to see him, I’ll wake up too!”

Although not quite understanding his son’s logic, Karma nodded his acquiescence. All he had to do was lay next to Naoki. The kid would surely fall asleep before he did, and that would be that. Because there was no way Karma would _fall asleep_ before Nagisa got home, no matter what his son thought.

 

 

The bedroom was soundless and still, with the exception of a small boy’s searching eyes. He stared at his father intently, looking for any sign of his being awake. If his other father could be so skillfully attentive, then he could too, he thought. He could be a spy, even!

After a few solid minutes of observation, Naoki nodded to himself and, careful as a little spy could be, removed himself from his father’s hold, slinking away to the far edge of the bed. It was a feat—he wasn’t as graceful as his Papa by any means—but he managed it, dropping to the floor. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table. 10:05. Karma had taken quite a while to fall asleep, but it happened eventually. Naoki guessed that his father was exhausted from all of his recent “work-and-babysit-at-home” days.

In view of the full-body mirror, Naoki eyed himself. He wore a long-sleeved shirt and thin, cotton shorts; for a second, he thought of dressing up nicer to greet Papa home, but disregarded the idea. Nagisa would be glad to see him no matter what!

The boy tottered out into the living room, immediately staring at the front door even though he knew that it would be quite a while before his father got home. He couldn’t help himself; how was he supposed to wait this long? After pouting for a moment, he looked around, searching for something to pass the rest of the hour.

Maybe he could bake Nagisa a cake to welcome him home? _No,_ he quickly answered himself. After all, Papa told him to _never_ use the stove, much less _go into_ the kitchen without him. Not unless it was just to get a small snack or cup of water.

Naoki’s eyes moved to his markers and papers still left strewn across the coffee table. Maybe he could make Nagisa a drawing? His Papa _always_ told him how much he liked his art.

That sounded like a great idea! Naoki smiled happily to himself, kneeling at the table and moving a blank page in front of him. In only fifty minutes, he would be able to draw an _amazing_ picture for Nagisa, and Nagisa would _love_ it! He picked up a purple marker, thinking of what to draw.

As the minutes passed, Naoki’s eyes grew heavier and heavier, yet he continued coloring with determination flaring in his heart. In just twenty minutes, he’d drawn a house, and a bunch of animals, and a garden... He yawned, rubbing his eyes, and the marker in his hand dropped carelessly to the table. There was still more to draw; he needed to put his parents and himself in the picture! That would make his Papa happy...

He closed his eyes for a short rest, head tilted a bit. _I’ll get back to it... In just a second..._

When he opened his eyes, ten more minutes had passed, and that realization quickly made him more alert. He only had twenty more minutes before Nagisa would come home! If he wanted to make his picture perfect, he needed to act fast.

Faster than he realized he could, Naoki drew both of his fathers with himself in between, smiling happily. He had to get a bit creative with his colors—he had nothing suitable for skin—but the end result was nice, he thought. As he finished up the last touches on Karma’s firetruck-red hair, the sound of the door unlocking echoed throughout the apartment. Awash with delight and excitement, Naoki giggled and shot up, taking his paper with him.

Holding back a yawn, Nagisa hauled his suitcase through the doorway and turned to close the door behind him, but was stopped by a small body colliding with his midsection. He grunted in surprise, wrapping his arms around his son’s shoulders and blinking in disbelief.

“N...Naoki? What are you _doing_ up this late?” His thoughts racing from this break of routine, Nagisa turned to the worst case scenario. “Baby, where’s your father? Is he okay?! What happened—“

“No, no, Papa it’s okay!” Naoki popped his head out from where it was buried in Nagisa’s shirt, his eyes budding with tears of happiness. “I jus’ waited for you to come home! Daddy’s sleeping! He was tired! But I-I’m so glad you’re back, Papa!”

Seeing the telltale sign of Naoki’s lip wobbling, Nagisa kicked the door shut behind him before kneeling down, taking his son in his arms and holding him tight. “Oh, Naoki, I missed you too, so much...” He sighed in relief, kissing the boy’s forehead. Naoki clung to him tightly, and Nagisa didn’t mind the sharp clench of his tiny fingernails. “...I’m glad you’re okay. You surprised me, sweetie, appearing like that...”

“M’okay...” Naoki rubbed his eyes and pulled back to show his paper to Nagisa, smiling proudly. “I made you a picture while I was waiting for you! Um, here’s a house, and a garden, and all the pets I want... And, and, here’s us!”

Nagisa’s eyes followed his son’s pointing finger intently as he listened, and then he grinned, taking the paper. “I love it, pumpkin. Thank you so much for making me such a sweet present—but...” He frowned, focusing on the way his son’s eyes drooped. There were visibly bags under his eyes, and he looked as if he was going to drop out at any second. “Darling, why did you not sleep? Why did your father let you stay up like this?”

“Oh, um, he...” Naoki looked down sheepishly, and Nagisa felt the ire building towards Karma dampening. He hadn’t meant for their son to be sleep-deprived, surely. “...Daddy wanted me to sleep, and um, he laid down with me. He must’a been _really_ tired, ‘cos he fell right asleep! I think he had a busy day with work. S-So, I didn’t wanna wake him... He needs his sleep, Papa.”

Naoki looked back up, eyes more confident. “But, _I_ wasn’t sleepy, Papa. I wanted to make you something, and-and see you!”

“Well, thank you for making me something, sweetheart...” Nagisa brushed a lock of Naoki’s hair out of his face, eyes knowing. “But you look awfully sleepy right now. As soon as you felt sleepy, you should’ve gone right to bed. I think you know that, right?”

Nervousness returning to him, Naoki pouted and darted his eyes away, though he leaned further into Nagisa as if seeking comfort. “...But I wanted to see you. Didn’t wanna hafta wait until morning... M’not sleepy...” he mumbled.

Nagisa ran his hand through his son’s hair. “I’m just worried, Naoki. I always want you to be healthy and getting enough sleep. How about we go to sleep now? It’s very late. You’ll be between your Daddy and Papa; I’ll be with you.”

Naoki seemed reluctant, and put the outer edge of his hand into his mouth to bite on. Nagisa held back a grimace. “I... wanna see you. Talk. Papa, I can’t _know_ I’m with you if I’m asleep...”

The boy’s words were a little hard to make out through his hand, but Nagisa caught the jist of it and gently pried his hand from his mouth, holding it and ignoring the saliva. “Yes you can, Naoki. I promise. In your dreams, you can know that I’m right next to you. You _will_ know, trust me. And if it turns out that you have a bad dream where I’m gone—then you can wake up and tell me I’m wrong and that you told me so. But I’ll be right there to protect you.”

Slowly, Naoki nodded.

“We’ll talk all morning; I promise. We’ll spend all day together,” Nagisa hushed as he led his son back to the bedroom, lugging his suitcase and turning off lights along the way. This had definitely been a surprise, and now all he wanted was to sleep it off with his family.

“Uh-huh,” Naoki mumbled, holding his father’s hand tight.

Although he was still rather irritated at his husband’s carelessness, seeing him lying peacefully asleep with his mouth agape, Nagisa couldn’t help but smile. This is what he always missed whenever he had to leave.

“Alright, bud, get snug and warm in bed. I have to unpack and change, but I won’t take long,” Nagisa whispered, sure to not wake his sleeping lover.

Naoki climbed up on the bed, though reluctant to wait for his father. “...Can’t you just wait for morning to unpack? You’re tired, Papa...”

Having never heard something like that from his son, Nagisa turned to look at him in wonder, but then glanced back at his suitcase and nodded. “It’s not that much, so I suppose it can wait. I still need to change though, sweetie.”

The five-year-old waited patiently through that at least, though Nagisa silently lamented that he hadn’t spent the time falling asleep under the covers. When Nagisa was dressed in a thin shirt and pajama pants, Naoki quickly scooted to the middle of the bed and patted the spot next to him which was clearly meant for his Papa. Smiling tiredly, Nagisa turned out the lights before getting under the covers with his son and husband.

As soon as he settled himself, Naoki snuggled up to his side and buried his face in his side. Nagisa kissed his head and wrapped an arm around him. In the darkness, his trained eyes could barely make out the outline of his sleeping husband on the other side of the bed, and he felt at peace.

“Goodnight, sweetie.”

“Goodnight, Papa...”

 

 

When morning came, Karma was understandably mortified to find that he’d fallen asleep and allowed his five-year-old son to stay up until _eleven._ He almost considered running for it. But he grudgingly admitted to himself that he was an adult, and waited for the storm that would surely come when Nagisa would wake.

To his surprise, his husband only greeted him with a long, sultry kiss and a whisper.

“You should get a better night’s sleep, Karma. I don’t want you so exhausted that you fall asleep without meaning to.”

Glad that he was in the clear, he nodded and drew Nagisa in for another kiss. They were sitting up on the bed as to not wake Naoki, but they still had to be quiet.

“Mm, sorry... Missed you, Nagisa...”

Nagisa hummed, and they embraced for a short while. When they parted, the assassin looked to their son—pudgy arms strewn above his head, he appeared knocked out to the world. Looking back to Karma, Nagisa’s eyes glinted menacingly.

_Guess I felt relieved too soon._

“Our poor, tired baby... Don’t let it happen again.”

“Of course, Nagisa.” Karma felt a little wimpy giving in to his husband so quickly, but it was for everyone’s good.

 

 

“P-Papa...”

Nagisa peered down at where his son was nestled in his arms as they sat on the sofa, watching a family movie. Throughout the whole day, Naoki had followed his Papa like a little duckling, not straying a foot away from him. Nagisa had put up his drawing on the fridge and felt pride every time he glanced at it. In the morning, the tot had been ceaselessly asking questions about his business trip—all answered with vague answers just specific enough to direct the boy’s attention elsewhere—but for the past few hours he’d been strangely silent, hand reaching to his mouth a couple of times.

Earlier in the day, Karma had recounted the prior events at the zoo to Nagisa, and Nagisa promised him that he would handle the matter himself. To be honest, though, he felt a tinge of trepidation about the whole situation, as he did whenever he was faced with the more severe struggles of parenthood. Worried thoughts raced through his head. What if he was too straightforward with the information? Naoki was a young, impressionable child; _anything_ could mess a kid up, these days. And sex was a serious, awkward topic. Wasn’t this type of thing best left up to whatever sex education class Naoki would inevitably take?

The suggestion almost made Nagisa shudder. No, topics as important as these shouldn’t be left up to anyone but him. Not when it came to his precious, only child.

With that in mind, he’d been preparing himself for the question. Yes, some may say that Naoki was a little too young to be wondering such things, but Nagisa believed that if Naoki _was_ thinking about it already, then it was as right of a time as any. And he wasn’t going to lie to his son. Naoki was already a smart kid; Nagisa owed him this. Hopefully, it would serve the boy well as he grew up.

“Yes, Naoki?” Keeping calm, Nagisa centered all of his attention on his son, showing that he was listening. There was no doubt in his mind what Naoki was about to ask; the boy’s meek expression, large eyes pointed down, was telling enough.

“Um... Daddy said that there was something you could tell me about...” It was a bit hard to make out Naoki’s words with his hand against his mouth, so Nagisa took his hand and, with his other, lifted the boy’s chin to meet his eyes.

He decided to make it easier for his nervous son. “Yeah, your father told me about what you were asking the other day. You sure caught him off guard, sweetie.”

Naoki tried to duck his head sheepishly, but with Nagisa holding his gaze, the most he could manage was a bright blush filling his chipmunk cheeks. “...I-I didn’t know that it wasn’t good to talk about...”

“Oh, honey, no...” Frowning, Nagisa brought his son closer, holding him comfortingly with both arms. “It’s perfectly okay to talk about, I promise. We want you to feel like you can come to us for anything, okay? It’s not usually... _acceptable_ to talk about it loudly or, well, a lot, in public, but when we’re at home you can come talk to us about anything at all, including this. We want you to know that.”

Nodding in understanding, Naoki blinked and his blush faded away. Nagisa was glad that he managed to build up a little more confidence in his son.

“...S-So, how does it happen? I wanna know... b-because I don’t know how come I-I don’t look like you and Daddy when I... should,” Naoki stuttered out, though he relaxed more into Nagisa’s hold.

“Everyone’s different, Naoki. It’s perfectly alright if you don’t look like me or your Daddy; we’re still your parents, no matter what.” Nagisa didn’t mean to divert the question, but he wanted to address his boy’s worry. He hadn’t known that Naoki felt this way.

“O-Okay. I know, Papa.” Naoki smiled, and Nagisa felt a bit of his own concern, which had been building, disappear.

“Now, to answer your question...” Nagisa sighed, leaning against the cushions and trying to sort his thoughts. By some miracle, Karma was currently out buying groceries and wouldn’t have to hear this conversation.

“...Well, you know that space between your legs, your private area?” Nagisa began steady, and Naoki was already blushing again. Though the boy didn’t know anything about sex, he’d already learned to associate that area with a bit of awkwardness.

“Yes, Papa. You said everyone has it.”

“Yes, everyone has private areas. But there are two... _types_ of private areas that people can have.” Nagisa felt his own face heating a bit, and for a second, wondered if he could do this. Of course he could; it was only his five-year-old son. Still, he couldn’t help the awkward feeling. He offered himself the consolation of knowing that things could be going _far_ more awkwardly if Karma had been the one explaining things.

“Two types?” Naoki’s curiosity was undeterred.

“Yeah. The type you have is called a penis—your father and I, we have that type too. T-Typically, men and boys have these.” His voice was calm, surprisingly. This wasn’t so hard, when he was focused. He could do this.

It helped that Naoki didn’t seem embarrassed anymore. “All boys?”

“W-Well, not _all_ boys, sweetie. Some don’t—it’s just that _most_ boys do. Remember that what is in someone’s private area is their business only, and no one else’s. Everyone’s private areas are different in _some_ way, too, but that’s because we’re all different, remember? And that’s all normal.” Oh no, he was rambling. This is what Nagisa was afraid of; some of this information may be too complicated for a child as young as Naoki to understand just yet. He’d tried to keep it simple, but that was difficult when it came to this topic... He wanted Naoki to be as open-minded and loving a human being as Nagisa could raise him to be.

To his father’s surprise, Naoki took the information in swiftly. “Okay, so _most_ boys, but we’re all different still.”

“That’s right, bud.” Nagisa couldn’t help pinching his chubby cheek a little, earning a strong blink from his son, though he didn’t stir, still avidly staring at his father. “And the second type is called a vulva, or vagina, and that is what most girls and women have. Again, most, but not all—everyone is different. People who have those are... your Aunt Yukiko, and your cousin Hiyoko, and Tetsuya-chan’s mother.”

Naoki nodded, his eyes focused in thought. “Okay. What does it look like? How different is it than ours?”

At this point, Nagisa felt the awkwardness creeping up again. Why did kids have to ask these types of questions? He tried to keep his voice steady, “Now, Naoki... It’s, well, different. It’s more of a h-hole—doesn’t stick out, like ours does.”

“A _hole?”_ Naoki’s eyes widened, and he sounded a bit mortified. Almost about to freak out as well, Nagisa tried to calm him, stroking his arm. He needed, above all else, to stay composed during this conversation.

“Yes, but it’s nothing bad, honey—i-it’s just how it is. It’s normal. I know I might’ve made it sound scary, but it’s really not.” _I just don’t know how to explain it... We’re spending too much time on this topic already._

“O-Okay... Um, why do we have different parts?” Seeming calm and curious again, Naoki absently fiddled with his father’s hand as he stared, searching for answers.

Here it was. “Yes, well—we have different parts because that’s how babies are made, sweetie. See, when two adults love each other very much—very seriously—they have something called, um, sex.” Naoki kept staring ardently, showing no sign of ever having heard of this before, and Nagisa breathed a silent sigh of relief. Half a year ago now, he remembered Naoki walking in on him and Karma—that had been a trying time... But he was glad that the boy didn’t seem to remember it, or if he did, he wasn’t making the connection just yet.

When he paused for too long, Naoki prompted him. “What is s-sex?”

“It’s... when the two people touch their private parts together, or put one inside of the other. Because the woman has a hole, remember? That’s where the penis can go, i-inside. And then, something comes out of the penis, and goes into the woman’s body, and combines with something inside of the vagina, and _that_ is what eventually makes the baby. After nine months or so, the baby is grown enough to come back out of its mother, and it’s born. Do you understand?”

Somewhere along the way, Naoki’s eyes had grown wide and slightly terrified, but in the end he seemed to collect himself and simply gazed, unfocused. “Um... Why do they do that? Does it hurt? It seems like that would hurt...”

Nagisa almost laughed. “No, sweetie, as long as the people want to do it, it doesn’t hurt. I told you; they do it because they love each other. It’s a private way for adults to show love to each other. Sometimes, they also do it because they want to have a baby.”

“Oh, okay...” Naoki almost seemed sad now, and Nagisa was confused until his boy looked up at him and spoke, “But, you told me that you and Daddy both have a p-penis, like me...”

“...Yes, we do...” Nagisa blushed lightly again, before realizing what his son was getting at. “Oh, honey... Just because your father and I didn’t make you that way, doesn’t mean that you aren’t our _son._ Remember, no matter what, you’re always our child. Not being made from us doesn’t change that at all.”

His words seemed to have helped calm Naoki a little bit, but still, the boy looked on the verge of tears, his lip quivering. It was heartbreaking. “B-But... where did I come from, then? Who m-made me...?”

Nagisa hadn’t expected this reaction; if anything, he’d expected Naoki to be confused or stuck on the process of making a baby. While he was happy that the boy took it all in with ease, he was also worried about how he should respond to _this._ The father sighed, squeezing Naoki in his arms, and contemplated bringing a blanket over in which for them to snuggle. Tears were imminent in this conversation.

“...I’ll tell you how we found you, sweetie. Do you remember when you first came here, to live with us? You were very young, pumpkin.” He reached out to wipe the first tear away, though not many seemed to be following.

Still, Naoki sniffled, looking up at him imploringly. “I... d-don’t really remember. Sorta... I jus’ think I felt s-sorta nervous, but th-then, you were my Daddy and Papa, and I was happy...”

Nagisa smiled, cradling Naoki’s head. “Yes, that’s right. We were very happy to have our little Naoki too. See... since your father and I are... the _same,_ we can’t make babies on our own. Still, we really wanted a sweet little boy, just like you, to be ours. So we went to an agency with a lot of kids there who didn’t have any parents but were waiting for some to come and pick them up—and that’s where you were, sweetie. And as soon as I saw you there, I _knew_ that you were ours in every way.” He tapped the tip of Naoki’s button nose, trying his hardest to cheer him up, and was happy when Naoki managed to smile adoringly up at him.

“And that’s when we took you home... Honey, I’m not quite sure where you came from at the start, but you appeared there before us. You were a _miracle,_ Naoki—and that’s what matters, okay? Not how you came to be, but that you came to _be with us,_ because we love and care about you so much.”

He ended with a kiss to Naoki’s forehead, but the boy surprised him and shot out into his chest, holding him for dear life. Nagisa felt the dampness on the center of his shirt and smiled, wrapping his arms around his son and patting his comfortingly.

Naoki’s words were muffled, but Nagisa could still hear them. “...Love you... Papa... Daddy...”

“We love you too, sweetie.”

They stayed still for a while, Nagisa simply holding him and letting his tiny body shake with tears, until Naoki eventually leaned back and rested his head on his father’s shoulder. Then they rested for a while longer, until Naoki spoke up again, his voice strained and small.

“...Sorry, Papa...”

Almost like an alarm had sounded in his brain, Nagisa looked down at the boy in concern. “What are you saying that for, Naoki?”

“Jus’ ‘cos...” Naoki looked back up at him, a minute frown on his face. “...It’s sad. M’sorry that you and Daddy couldn’t have me on your own, and you had to f-find me... And that you and Daddy can’t have s-sex... It’s not fair, if that’s how people show love really seriously, then wh-why can’t you, if you still love each other... Not fair, Papa...”

Nagisa had to hold himself back before he’d accidentally burst into laughter and scare Naoki, so he took a deep breath in through his nose. After a few moments, he’d composed himself well enough to put his hand to Naoki’s cheek.

“Dear, that’s very sweet of you to say. Thank you. But... You don’t need to worry, okay? It’s not as bad as you think. Yes, your father and I can’t have _children_ on our own, but we, um—th-that doesn’t mean that we can’t have sex, okay? We can—as long as two adults love each other very much, th-they can no matter what if they choose to do so, okay?”

Blinking confusedly, Naoki immediately questioned, “...But if their parts aren’t different, then how do they do it? You-You said that the, um, penis, has to go into the hole thingy. You or Daddy don’t have a hole...”

No, he was not going to have this exchange with his son. The rest was fine, but this was a different story.

“Well... Sweetie, I s-said that it doesn’t _have_ to be like that. People can express their love like _that_ in-in different ways than that...” Too flustered, Nagisa wasn’t sure how to proceed. He hadn’t been planning on talking about his and Karma’s sex life, and he didn’t think that such things were appropriate for Naoki to hear. The boy knew the basic mechanics; wasn’t that enough?

Apparently not, according to Naoki’s fervent curiosity. “But _how_ do you and Daddy do it? I wanna know, Papa!” All awkward pretenses tossed aside, Naoki glared at his father determinedly. He was on a mission. “I wanna know how you and Daddy love each other... ‘C-Cos, I’m happy that you love each other. I wanna know that you’re doing it right an-and that you guys are okay... ‘Cos everyone else’s parents have different parts, I think, but you guys have the same...” The boy’s steadfastness faded away and was replaced with a slight, worried look.

Nagisa smiled comfortingly, endeared by his son’s spiel. “...Naoki, that is very sweet of you. But you don’t have to worry about that.” He held Naoki’s shoulders to ground him. “Your father and I are perfectly okay. As I said, there’s different ways to have... sex... so that it doesn’t just have to be between those two different parts. It’s not that... rigid, okay? There are plenty of different ways of doing it—and you don’t need to worry about that right now. When you’re much older, then we can have a different talk about that, if you still wish to know and are ready. I promise. For now, it’s not a big deal and you don’t need to worry. All you need to know is that your father and I are very happy together and everything is working just fine.”

Placated but pensive, Naoki paused to let it all sink in before tentatively wondering, “...I’m glad, Papa, that you and Daddy are happy. I’ll wait. But... Um, I think that I have heard noises an-and seen you guys sorta nakey and close together. Were you doing sex then?”

_What._

Always, Nagisa had gone to lengths to make sure that _this exact thing_ wouldn’t happen—well, except for that _one time_ months ago, but that was... different. And ever since Naoki began sleeping with them regularly—since the accident—he and Karma have _never_ had sex when Naoki was in the house. There had been a few close calls, but that was just because Karma was being too handsy... No, they couldn’t have.

Nagisa shook his head to clear his thoughts, though his voice wavered when he answered, “Sweetie, when was this? Do you remember?”

Lowering his eyes, Naoki looked to be in deep thought, but then shot up and gave him a satisfied smile. “Yeah, I remember! Um, there was one time a long time ago, b-before the b-bad stuff... When you were still using crutches for your legs, an-and I had a nightmare, and when I came in you and Daddy were really close and nakey an-and making noise... And, um I think I also saw Daddy trying to touch your private area in bed b-before, and once in the kitchen. And-And he touches your bum Papa! Are those sex?”

His son was rambling so quickly, driven by childish curiosity, that it was almost hard to keep up with him. But Nagisa did, and with every word he felt mortified. And then a bit angry. _Damnit, Karma..._

Nagisa tried to keep a level head and held Naoki’s stare with ease, even though he felt as if his world was crashing around him, just a tiny bit. “Well, not all of those are _sex,_ pumpkin. Those simple touches—they are sexual, of course, but it isn’t _sex._ Your Daddy is just being silly and loving, and it doesn’t go any further than that.”

Naoki nodded, so Nagisa continued, rather hesitantly, “...As for the time when I was in crutches, w-well, _that_ was sex, honey, and I’m sorry that you had to walk in on it. We weren’t being careful—we were being reckless, and it wasn’t okay. I am _so_ sorry, Naoki. Those things are very private, and I’m very embarrassed that you saw us... And I’m sure your father felt the same way...”

With every word he said, Nagisa only felt more ashamed, and his face was bright red by the end. However, Naoki only reached over and hugged him. Surprised, Nagisa stayed still, not knowing what to do, and before he could figure it out, Naoki pulled back and looked at him strangely seriously.

“It’s okay, Papa, you don’t need to be embarrassed—I’m not. And I don’t want you to feel bad about it. ‘Cos I didn’t know what was going on then—I didn’t care, and I was okay. I know that it’s private, so I’ll try not to see again, ‘cos I understand that you and Daddy need to be alone when you’re doing private things. B-But I’m happy, actually, ‘cos, ‘cos now I know for sure that you guys can do it just like mommies and daddies, and you aren’t left out just ‘cos you have the same parts!”

Somewhat shocked at the contrast of his son’s maturity and childishness, Nagisa blinked in disbelief, but then swallowed and smiled, assured. “That’s good, Naoki. I’m glad that you don’t feel bad about it... But, um, you don’t need to _try_ to leave us alone just because you think that we’ll want to do that... Really, sweetie, it’s okay. I’d prefer it if you just tried to forget about that particular moment, okay?” He _really_ didn’t want his child to have those messed up memories of his parents...

Naoki frowned. “Papa, I didn’t even really _see_ anything—it was just a bunch of blankets. I saw Daddy’s bum for a _teensy tiny second,_ but that was it. I just wanted to go to sleep with you guys—I was okay, and I’m okay now, Papa. I understand it.”

Caught off guard yet again, Nagisa could do nothing but nod. “...Alright.” He let out a sigh, running his hand through his hair. His face was still red; he could feel it. “You don’t know how relieved I am to hear that, buttercup... It’s a private thing, not meant for young eyes—you know that. I’m glad that you didn’t care and you understand.” The whole situation was rather unfavorable to him, but Naoki reacted in the best way possible, he supposed, and he was glad for that.

Pleased to see his Papa soothed, Naoki sunk himself into his arms, and Nagisa happily accepted him. “...Mm-hmm. Don’t feel bad about it, Papa. I’m glad that you and Daddy are okay. And that you’re my parents. I want... you guys to be happy forever. And me too.”

Feeling encased in love, Nagisa squeezed his son tight and rubbed his back, resting his cheek on his dark tufts of hair. “Of course, pumpkin. We love you so much. We’ll be happy forever, I promise you...”

Apart from the mortification of it all, the talk had gone well, he supposed... Wait. _There’s one thing I’m forgetting._

Pulling back, Nagisa made sure to look Naoki in the eyes. “Now, there’s one more thing we need to make clear, sweet pea.”

Caught off guard by the serious tone, Naoki gazed, wide-eyed. “Yes, Papa?”

“All of this that we talked about was good, but all of this—sex—is something that is only for _adults._ I’m just making sure you know—if _anyone,_ of _any_ age, stranger or not, touches you in your private place or in _any_ way that makes you uncomfortable or scared—“

“Pa _pa..._ ” Naoki groaned, nearly rolling his eyes. “You’ve told me a _million-billion times..._ I know what to do, Papa...”

“I just need to make sure that you know, since we just talked about all of this.” Nagisa didn’t let up, holding Naoki tight and keeping his gaze. “What do you do?”

Naoki sighed and proceeded in a robotic tone, “If there are other people around, I scream really, really loud so other people can come help me. If I’m alone, I smack the creepy person and run away really, really quick, or if I have the phone with me I can call for help. If I need to be quiet for some reason ‘cos I’m in danger, I use the phone app thingy.”

“Good. You remember all of that.” Nagisa carded his hand through his son’s thick hair, still serious. “And don’t make light of these things, Naoki. They’re very serious—if someone were to hurt you, your Daddy and I would be devastated, and you would be very scared, or-or worse. We don’t want that to happen, sweetie, because we care about you so much.”

A small pout appeared on Naoki’s face, and he silently regretted how sarcastic he’d just been. His Papa seemed upset by it. “...M’sorry, Papa. I understand. I don’ wanna get hurt like that... I’ll do what you say. Thank you for caring about me.”

“Thank you, bug...” Nagisa pulled his child into what seemed like the fifteenth hug, and sighed into his hair. All concerns were purged from him; the conversation had gone as well as it could have. And he would have some funny tidbits to tell Karma when he came home, too. Naoki’s mortified faces, not to mention his sorrow when he’d thought that his parents were unable to have sex, had been hilarious to witness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was hilarious to write but also sorry I had to do that to Nagisa :') I don't know when I will be updating this story next since in between this and the next chapter I will be adding another short (two-shot I'm thinking) to the AU that has to do with Nagisa and Karma's honeymoon, way back when. So that will be fun to write. After that, I'll get back to chapter 5 of this. I don't know how long it will take because life is stressful and complicated but it will happen!
> 
> Thank you for reading <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this is the end. I'm sorry for not giving more of a warning, but I did not know that it would be ending this soon either ^^" this was just how things fell! As a short look into what things became after MBH, I feel like this is all it needs.

Sitting in the mostly white—with a hint of salmon pink—waiting room, Naoki felt as if his skeleton was going to jump out of his skin and run away. Then his parents would be left sitting here with a boneless son who’d jiggle around uselessly. They’d have to carry him everywhere, prop him up in chairs and against walls—probably wouldn’t be very fun.

The first day of school was in just a week, and so his parents decided it was time for one last meeting with his therapist. Naoki wasn’t afraid of Saki, not at all. She was a gentle young woman, comforting and patient with children. Rather, that entire time—from when Naoki witnessed the death, to his sessions with her—was a messy, uncomfortable blur in his head. It made him feel sick, so he didn’t like to think about it too much. Sometimes he still got in a funk about it; Nagisa would always notice and distract him somehow or pull him through it. For that, he was thankful to his Papa.

Having to revisit it again was making him uneasy already, but he supposed he needed to face it. He promised his Papa that he would be strong. Not that he _had_ to be; Nagisa made that clear, saying that he and Daddy would protect him no matter what. But he still wanted to try being strong himself.

“Akabane?”

The receptionist called them, and Naoki snapped out of his ruminations. Nagisa comfortingly squeezed his shoulder, and Karma looked on wearily; both parents could sense the boy’s nerves. Taking a deep breath, he stood up, and his fathers quickly followed suit, staying close behind him as he made his way to Saki’s office.

Her room was warm and homey, contrasting with the unfriendly aura of the waiting room. On her desk there was displayed a small zen garden, with a tiny rake to smoothly comb through the sand. Naoki sometimes played with it when he was nervous. There were also Legos in one corner of the room, but he hadn’t touched them before. Saki, rather than sitting at her desk, was waiting in a plush red chair, across from which was a comfy leather sofa. The family settled in it, Nagisa reaching across to shake the smiling woman’s hand.

“It’s so nice to see you all! It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“Yes, it sure has.” Nagisa smiled back. Naoki figured that his other father wouldn’t talk much; Karma usually preferred to stay silent in these situations, quietly scoping things out.

As Saki and Nagisa chatted, Naoki steadily drifted away. It wasn’t until his father tapped his shoulder that he was brought back to reality, looking to Nagisa’s gently smiling face.

“Honey, Saki-san asked you how you’ve been. You want to tell her anything?”

He looked back to Saki nervously, but the kind woman didn’t appear upset with him for spacing out. Once he felt the warmth of his Papa’s hand closing around his own, he found the courage to speak.

“Um… It’s good. I like not having school.”

For some reason, the three adults laughed, and though he didn’t understand it, Naoki relaxed slightly.

“I see. That’s understandable; school can be pretty annoying,” Saki grinned, keeping her voice gentle. “What kind of fun things did you do over your break?”

“Um… I liked spending time with Daddy and Papa. And playing with Tetsuya-kun. And my cousin Hiyoko-chan had a birthday, so we went on a cr-cruise.”

“Oh, that all sounds like a lot of fun!” Saki clasped her hands together. “Did you have fun on the cruise?”

“Y-Yeah… I had a nightmare but Papa helped me feel better.” Naoki had a small frown on his face, and Nagisa squeezed his hand.

“I see. That’s very nice of him. Do you still have nightmares often?”

“Um… Sometimes.”

“So you sleep with your parents still to feel better, huh?”

She didn’t seem disappointed in him, so Naoki answered truthfully, “Yeah.”

This time she glanced at the parents. “I think that’s okay; you’re still young and healing.”

His parents nodded, and Naoki felt relief flow through him that he wasn’t doing something wrong.

“And were there some other hard things that happened during the break as well, Naoki-chan?”

He knew that she would want to talk about his difficulties, but the question still made him shrink into his seat. Karma patted his shoulder encouragingly.

Saki waited patiently until he responded, “Yeah…”

“Would you like to tell me one thing?”

“Um… Papa left on a trip.”

“Oh, he did? I know he needs to for his work. How did you feel about that?”

“Sad… And scared. B-But Papa told me more about his work, and that he would be okay. And I let him go even though I didn’t like it,” Naoki admitted, his frown turning into a pout. Nagisa smiled and shared a glance with Saki, both finding it endearing.

“That was very mature of you! And it wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Naoki shook his head, his pout disappearing. “No, ‘cos I had fun with Daddy… We went to the zoo and saw penguins! And I made a picture for Papa for when he got back.”

“That sounds wonderful! So from now on, your Papa’s trips won’t be such a bad time for you, will they?”

“…I guess not,” Naoki conceded, and Nagisa squeezed his hand again in pride.

“Good. Anything else?”

“Um… I learned I was ad-adopted.” Feeling more confident, he took the plunge.

Surprise shone on Saki’s face for only a fraction of a second. “I see. That’s big news. Did your Papa tell you?”

“Yeah… Um, a kid at my school was making fun of me for having two dads, and I was confused. Papa told me all about how they adopted me, and that two boys or two girls can’t usually have a baby on their own.”

Seeing that Naoki wasn’t upset at the information, Saki smiled. “How did you feel when you heard this?”

“…Sad, but then happy. Because Papa told me that him and Daddy adopted me because they love me so much. I’m happy I was adopted.” Nagisa ruffled his hair, and he blushed in embarrassment and happiness.

“I’m glad to hear that, Naoki-chan. Don’t listen to kids that make fun of you for being different; they only do that because they feel insecure about themselves. You’re much better than that.”

She said it so matter-of-factly, Naoki couldn’t help but blush darker. Nagisa answered for him, “Thank you, Saki-san.” Whether Naoki held any curiosity towards his biological parents’ existence was a topic left untouched, and the adults wouldn’t push it.

The visit only improved from there, Saki giving Naoki encouragement with starting school again. It was only when she mentioned it did the boy realize that his hand-chewing habit had nearly disappeared. His parents proudly hugged him, ignoring his embarrassment.

They left the office building in high spirits, Naoki holding hands between his fathers. He was still nervous about school, of course, but now he at least felt like he could fight through it.

 

 

The week continued with Naoki silently worrying, though thankfully his nerves didn’t stop him from enjoying his last moments of freedom. The days seemed to pass by in a flash and before he knew it, the first day of school was tomorrow.

He sat on his parents’ bed, donning his duck-themed pajamas, pouting up a storm. A few feet away, Nagisa was brushing his teeth in the bathroom. He ducked his head out of the doorway, silently chuckling at his son’s childish despondence. Naoki had brushed his teeth just a few minutes ago, and all throughout it he’d been unable to hide his sulking. It was honestly quite adorable.

Once he’d finished, Nagisa pulled on his own set of pajamas—a black t-shirt and sweatpants—and joined his son on the bed, pulling him into his side. Naoki halfheartedly allowed it.

“You’re going to be okay,” Nagisa quietly promised, and Naoki looked up to him in sullen disbelief.

“How do you know, Papa?”

“Because you’re smart and kind and courageous. Not to mention adorable,” Nagisa answered with a smile, running a hand through the boy’s dark hair. Though he pouted in embarrassment, Naoki visibly relaxed.

“…But I’m scared for tomorrow. What if the other kids don’t like me? I don’t know how to talk to them.”

“There are plenty of other kids who feel just the same way as you, I promise. You aren’t alone. All you need to do is be yourself, and you’ll find people who appreciate you just the way you are. Tetsuya will be there as well, won’t he? He will protect you if anything happens. There are also teachers and adults all around the building that will keep you safe. No one wants to hurt you; they only want you to have a good time at school. I know you can do it.” Nagisa finished his speech with a small kiss to the top of Naoki’s head, and Naoki slumped into his hold.

“…Thank you, Papa. I feel better.”

“Good. No worries, hm? Let’s have a good night’s sleep now.”

They tucked in, Naoki curling into Nagisa’s arms. It was silent for a moment, and Nagisa poured his energy into noticing how his son’s feet and fingers press against his torso, clinging to his shirt like a koala. Sharing warmth and nurturing and wisdom. This is how being a parent truly felt.

He didn’t realize how much time had passed before Karma joined them, sighing sleepily and falling to Naoki’s other side. Their eyes met from across their son, and they shared a smile.

“Good night?”

“Mhm…” Nagisa only hummed an answer, unsure of whether Naoki was sleeping yet. He was unusually still.

“We’ll both bring him to school tomorrow,” Karma reminded him, and Nagisa nodded gratefully. Having both parents there would hopefully soothe Naoki’s anxieties.

The couple met in a second-long kiss over Naoki’s head before sharing their last words of the day, “I love you.”

 

 

Sitting in the backseat of the car with his hands balled into fists, Naoki was visibly nervous. Nagisa looked to the rear-view mirror with worry, searching for a comforting word to say. Karma gave him a glance; it was his duty to do something.

“Sweetie… You’ll be great. Relax,” Nagisa tried, his voice gentle as he turned to face his son. Naoki met his gaze, eyes full of fear.

“…Papa, I don’t like being around a lot of kids I don’t know.” His voice was small.

“I know sugar, but they aren’t going to hurt you. You’re very safe.”

“…They won’t like me.”

“You’re smart and kind and so very sweet, Naoki. I fully believe that you’ll make friends who like you very much.”

“…Will you hold my hand while walking me up Papa?”

“Of course.”

“Will they make fun of me for it?”

“No, no, dear. If anyone says something you don’t like, tell Tetsuya or an adult, and you will be safe and protected.”

“Okay…”

The school was quaint, single-story and red-bricked. Kids were running in and out of the entrance, most accompanied by parents, and it was imminently intimidating to Naoki, who waited for his fathers’ encouraging smiles before getting out of the car. Quickly Nagisa took his son’s chubby, warm hand, and Naoki clenched tight.

They had to practically drag him to the building’s entrance, and Nagisa found that a bit amusing, though as soon as they were surrounded by walls, Naoki kept up. He clung, pressed against his Papa’s side, and Karma took to the boy’s other side to give a comforting squeeze around his shoulders. Naoki breathed out, taking in his surroundings with wide eyes.

Once they reached Naoki’s classroom they were introduced to a young, cheery brunette, the teacher. She was new to teaching, but was determined and didn’t bat an eye at the two clearly married fathers. Seeing Naoki’s wide-eyed, apprehensive expression, she knelt to his height and introduced herself gently for him, smile unfaltering. Naoki answered with a stunted nod. She soon had to attend to another set of parents, but gave Naoki a few more words of encouragement before moving on.

Naoki looked up to his fathers, silently pleading them not to leave but knowing it was inevitable. Nagisa sighed and knelt, holding his shoulders.

“You’ll be great, sweetie. She seems very nice. She’ll make sure you’re just fine, see?”

“Mhm…” Thankfully, Naoki didn’t look close to crying, though his eyebrows were still pinched with worry. “…I-I wish I could just stay with you guys.”

“This is more exciting than that, though, isn’t it?” Karma offered, ruffling Naoki’s hair, much to the boy’s irritation. “You’ll meet new friends; I’m sure of it.”

“Don’t want them…” Naoki pouted.

Nagisa smiled. “Do it for me at least, okay sweetheart? I’ll be right here to pick you up as soon as you’re let out.” He leaned forward to press a hard kiss to his boy’s forehead, and Naoki gladly allowed it. Nagisa would cherish these days, the days before his son would inevitably shy away from his affections.

Karma knelt and followed with the same, though before he could stand again Naoki took the chance to capture both parents in a strong hug.

“I love you…”

His voice was muffled between them, but both men listened and were filled with happiness.

“We love you too, darling… I’ll see you later today, okay?”

“Yeah…”

Once they parted, Naoki stood forlorn for a few seconds longer, until suddenly a voice called out his name. Tetsuya ran to them from deeper inside the room, sporting a grin.

“Naoki-kun! You have to sit next to me, okay?”

“Um… Yeah, Tetsuya-kun…” Naoki allowed his hand to be taken by his friend, though he sent a last, nervous glance at his parents. The two simply smiled, waving and allowing their son to be pulled away.

 

 

“He’ll make it just fine, won’t he?”

Pausing at a red light, Karma looked to his husband. “Of course he will. I’ve never had doubts.”

“…Well, after everything that’s happened, I’m more attuned to his emotions. I just don’t want him to have a hard time…”

“He will sometimes, Nagisa. All kids do. We just have to be there to help him pick himself up.”

“…You’re right.” Nagisa nodded, feeling himself calm immensely. This was what being a parent was about. Knowing that, he felt like he and Karma could do anything for their child. Naoki would certainly have a bright future, if they had anything to say about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! And thank everyone so much for the support I have gotten with my Assassination Classroom fics :) <3 I say this because I will likely not be writing any more for Assclass! The series is over and it's time for me to move on, though I'll always be glad that I wrote all of this :') For those of you who know Stardew Valley, my next little writing project will likely be a M/M fic for that! If you are interested, please continue following my writing, and if you have any specific requests or questions (even though I am not personally writing for Assclass anymore I will always consider comissions or requests!) please contact me at my tumblr, yasuhomo ^^ <3
> 
> Thank you all very much!


End file.
